The Colombian Navy, through the Coast Guard Station of Cartagena, conducted a search and rescue operation that led to safeguarding the lives of 20 people in the Bocachica, insular area of Cartagena, after receiving the alert for a suspected maritime collision between a sailboat and a cargo ship.
The emergency was known at approximately 4:40 am the previous day, since one of the crew of the sailboat made the report of the situation to the Coast Guard line 146. According to the information provided, the hit sailboat was traveling from Panama to the Cartagena Yacht Club.
Once the call was received, the Colombian Navy immediately activated the search and rescue protocol, deploying two Rapid Reaction Units -URR, of the Coast Guard, which went to the scene.
Upon arrival at the point of the emergency, the units found 20 people on rescue rafts, who stated that the boat they were sailing on had sunk due to the collision, and that the boat with which they had allegedly struck had continued on its course, apparently without noticing the emergency that had occurred. The personnel were rescued and taken to the Coast Guard Station in Cartagena, where they received first aid care and their health status was verified.
Among those rescued are six citizens from Germany, one from Belgium, three from Colombia, four from France, one from Italy, two from England, two from Switzerland, and one from Turkey. The Naval Institution will give the information collected during the search and rescue operation to the authorities, in order to contribute to the investigation to identify the circumstances in which the events occurred.
Source: Press - Navy of Colombia
