"Coast guards have saved our lives, we were born again," said one of the rescued.
The men were found by troops in the early hours of the morning, clinging to gas tanks and a raft.
The timely reaction of Coast Guard Units of the Colombian Navy led to safeguard the lives of three Ecuadorians, who shipwrecked after the ship in which they were traveling in fishing tasks overturned, in Colombian Pacific waters.
The rescue occurred when an aircraft of the United States Coast Guard detected three people shipwrecked at sea, immediately the air platform gave notice to the Pacific Naval Force Units, which in compliance with the constitutional mission to safeguard the life at sea, sent a rapid reaction unit of the Tumaco Coast Guard Station for the search and rescue operation.
The search for the three men, carried out in coordination with the Captaincy of Puerto de Tumaco, was carried out at night, under adverse weather conditions and poor visibility. However, the training and expertise of Coast Guard crew members led to find the three fishermen clinging to several gas tanks and a raft, 80 nautical miles of the Port of Tumaco.
Once aboard the Colombian Navy Unit, the crew verified the health status of the rescued, who were dehydrated and had several burns on the limbs due to contact with gasoline. Upon arrival at the Port of Tumaco, they were taken to the District Hospital where they received medical assistance.
According to the version reported by the men identified as Darío Archunda Vélez, 39; Jorge Fernando González Estupiñán, 28; and Gabriel Vera Valencia, 42, who set sail from the Esmeraldas dock, in Ecuador, on December 27, 2019. The incident was reported on December 30, 2019, when a heavy wave overturned the ship in which they were carrying out fishing operations. Last Saturday, January 4, approximately four days after the shipwreck, they were rescued.
Darío, Jorge and Gabriel, full of emotion expressed: “We thank Coast Guard of Colombia. We are grateful and we thank them they have saved our lives ... we were born again ”
Source: Colombian Navy
