Complete Maritime Profile & Reviews of Pacific-Meltem

In a harrowing maritime incident, the drill ship 'Pacific Meltem' played a pivotal role in rescuing three castaways following the tragic sinking of the three-masted sailing vessel 'Doña Matilda'. The 'Doña Matilda', which set sail from Bonaire to Aruba on December 17, 2015, failed to reach its destination, prompting a search operation by the Caribbean Coastguard. On December 19, a Dash-8 patrol aircraft took to the skies to locate the missing ship. Reports from the crew of a nearby drill ship indicated an urgent situation: they had retrieved one individual who was drowning, while three others were clinging to the vessel's anchor chain. An additional victim was found floating next to a buoy around five miles southwest of Aruba. The Coastguard cutter 'Panther' and a helicopter were dispatched to the scene, where the helicopter quickly hoisted the man drifting at the rear of the ship. Sadly, he had sustained serious injuries from shark bites and was pronounced dead upon arrival in Aruba. Meanwhile, the 'Panther' successfully pulled the three other castaways from the water, who were found exhausted but alive, having clung to a palette and a refrigerator to survive. The 'Panther' transported them to Paardenbaai, Oranjestad, where an ambulance was waiting to provide medical assistance. Additionally, the 'Panther' returned to the drill ship to recover another crew member who also needed urgent medical care. The grim discovery revealed that the 'Doña Matilda' had seven Venezuelan nationals on board when a large wave struck its stern, leading to a catastrophic sinking that tragically claimed two lives. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the perilous nature of maritime journeys.