This is the moment when the Colombian Navy rescued 29 crew members from a fishing vessel that had erupted in flames in the middle of the night.
The tuna boat had caught fire in the Port of Buenaventura – Colombia’s main port on the Pacific Ocean – where it was being held for alleged illegal fishing.
The Venezuelan-flagged Taurus I had burst into flames on the night of 5th September due to a suspected electrical short circuit in the kitchen.
The Navy sent two rapid response teams to evacuate the crew of 14 Venezuelans, five Mexicans, five Colombians, two Ecuadorians, and one Costa Rican.
Two were taken to hospital, while the others were transported to a military facility.
The Colombian General Maritime Directorate has said it will investigate the causes of the fire.
In a statement obtained by Newsflash on 6th September, the Pacific Naval Force said: “In the last few hours, the Colombian Navy has preserved the lives of 29 people of different nationalities, who were aboard a Venezuelan-flagged vessel that caught fire in the inner bay of Buenaventura, Valle del Cauca.
“The events occurred late at night, when officials from the Maritime Surveillance and Traffic Station of the General Maritime Directorate alerted staff of the Buenaventura Coast Guard Station to the conflagration that was taking place on the ship ‘Taurus I’, apparently caused by a short circuit in the kitchen.
“Immediately, two Rapid Reaction Units of the Colombian Navy were deployed to the scene of the emergency, which promptly evacuated the 29 crew members of the vessel, including 14 Venezuelans, five Mexicans, five Colombians, two Ecuadorians, two Peruvians and one Costa Rican.
“The rescued were transferred to the pier of the Harbour Master of Buenaventura, where they were received by medical personnel who assessed their state of health and gave them first aid. Two of the evacuees required specialised medical attention, so they were taken aboard ambulances to a hospital in the Port City.
“In parallel, the Naval Institution together with the General Maritime Directorate carried out the pertinent coordination so that three tugboats arrived at the emergency area in order to control the fire on board the vessel.
“For its part, the General Maritime Directorate will advance investigations in order to clarify the possible causes in time, manner and place of the maritime accident.
“Furthermore, Frigate Captain Javier Gomez, Captain of the Port of Buenaventura, assured, ‘We anticipate possible contamination events that could be generated, so we are activating mechanisms and preparing ourselves to contain any spills and thus mitigate or avoid any impact on the marine environment.’
“The crew members of the Venezuelan-flagged motor ship ‘Taurus I’ were summoned by the National Aquaculture and Fisheries Authority, for allegedly carrying out fishing activities in a protected area in Bahia Solano, Choco, where this type of practice is prohibited. For this reason, since last 29 August this vessel has been immobilised in Buenaventura Bay, while the pertinent investigations are carried out.
“The Colombian Navy reaffirms its commitment to the preservation of life at sea and comprehensive maritime security in the Colombian Pacific, daily strengthening and intensifying controls of vessels that ply the maritime and river waters in this area of the country. Likewise, it invites the community to comply with safety regulations and continue reporting any situation that puts their safety and integrity at risk through the telephone line 146 or the marine VHF channel 16.”
