The Argentine Naval Prefecture (PNA) deployed a comprehensive operation this Saturday in Mar del Plata to rescue all crew members of a Canadian sailboat that began to catch fire.
During the night, the Mar del Plata Prefecture's Maritime Traffic Management Center received an alert from a local yacht club about a fire aboard a sailboat arriving from Piriápolis, Uruguay. The vessel was performing mooring maneuvers at a courtesy buoy when the fire started, prompting it to head towards section eight of Pier N.º 2 of the local port.
Immediately, the national Maritime Authority dispatched the Coast Guard vessel GC-72 “Buenos Aires” and a semi-rigid boat to the emergency site, while a fire truck with personnel from the Mar del Plata Prefecture's Firefighting, Salvage, and Environmental Protection Station (ESMP) headed to the designated location by land. Personnel from the Guard and Patrol Section also assisted to secure the perimeter.
The personnel assisted and transported the three crew members—two men aged 76 and 72, and an 84-year-old woman, all Canadian nationals—in the Prefecture's semi-rigid boat. They also rescued the dog traveling with them.
The rescued individuals were disembarked at port terminals 2 and 3, where an ambulance with medical personnel was waiting as a precaution. The professionals evaluated those assisted and confirmed that they were in good health.
In parallel, ESMP personnel worked almost until midnight on the sailboat, which was nearly 15 meters in length, successfully extinguishing and preventing the spread of the fire, which affected the vessel's living quarters.
The Federal Prosecutor's Office of Mar del Plata, led by Dr. Carlos Martínez, intervened in the incident and did not take any action regarding the crew or the vessel.
Finally, Prefecture personnel accompanied the crew during the completion of the corresponding immigration procedures. Once concluded, they left the scene on their own.
