Discover the Ontario-Express: Ratings & Maritime News

On May 19, 2017, the fishing vessel "María Esther" departed from Puerto Barcadera, Venezuela, en route to Puerto Nuevo. However, the vessel suffered a critical engine failure, prompting the crew to issue a distress call to the Curacao Emergency Center on May 21. In response, the Colombian Navy initiated a search operation in the area surrounding La Guajira, deploying ships to locate the stranded fishermen. As efforts continued, on the evening of May 26, the Cartagena Coast Guard Station intercepted a message from another vessel that had received coordinates from the "María Esther". Using this information, an Air Force SR 560 aircraft successfully located the struggling boat approximately 200 miles off the coast. The port captain of Puerto Bolívar, along with the Center of Operations, reached out to the "Limari", a containership en route from Fort Lauderdale to Colon, to deliver essential supplies, including food and water, to the crew. Subsequently, the Navy dispatched the vessel "7 de Agosto" to conduct a rescue mission for the eight crew members aboard the fishing vessel. On May 29, the Navy successfully brought the fishermen aboard, providing them with medical treatment for dehydration and burns. After their safe arrival in Cartagena, the Coast Guard contacted the owner of the "María Esther", who planned to arrange for the abandoned fishing vessel to be towed to Riohacha for necessary repairs. For more details, see the Spanish report with video at http://caracol.com.co/emisora/2017/05/29/cartagena/1496072767_024451.html.