Tragedies just a few days into the start of the octopus season continue to surprise and dismay the fishing fleet, especially in this municipality. Over the weekend, another incident occurred involving a fishing vessel of considerable size while it was navigating in search of fish species.
This time, it was the vessel “Pesquera IV” that collided with a larger merchant ship on the high seas, triggering an offshore operation around three in the morning aimed at safeguarding the lives of the involved fishermen.
The incident took place 26 nautical miles from the port of Progreso when both vessels encountered each other head-on, and it was unavoidable for the helmsmen to make contact, causing a jarring noise that awakened the crews.
Immediately upon realizing that water was entering the working area of the boat, the captain informed the “Valdez Base” located in this municipality, prompting a notification to the command center of the Public Security and Traffic Directorate through the thirteenth naval zone based in Yucalpetén.
It was discovered that on the “Pesquera IV,” owned by fishing entrepreneur L.A.M., there were four sailors on board, each growing increasingly desperate as they noticed the bow was in poor condition, necessitating maritime assistance.
The other vessel did not sustain significant damage as this type of ship has a stronger structure compared to fishing units, which are made primarily of cedar wood. Despite its strength, any part of the fishing boat can break in an incident like this.
Therefore, to ensure the safety of the aforementioned fishermen, a specialized “Defender” type boat was dispatched with personnel on board from the Yucalpetén Naval Station’s maritime search, rescue, and surveillance unit (ENSAR).
Upon reaching the rendezvous point and verifying the health status of the crew members, the naval personnel maneuvered alongside the colliding vessel’s starboard side to prevent further water ingress that could have led to its sinking. They successfully controlled the flooding and proceeded to navigate the fishing vessel to the port of Progreso, Yucatán.
TYT Newsroom
