42 rescued after tour boat capsizes in Caribbean Sea off Colombia

The Colombian Coast Guard and a Good Samaritan have successfully rescued all 42 occupants of a tour boat that capsized and sank in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Cartagena on Sunday, March 2.

The boat sank less than an hour after it departed Cartagena with a final destination of Isla Palma, a popular tourist destination.

An Ecuadorian national who was among the passengers later told local media outlet Caracol TV that the boat's bow had suddenly and unexpectedly collapsed and the boat itself subsequently began taking on water.

Another Ecuadorian tourist said that the vessel then overturned as those who were on board jumped into the water to avoid injury.

Coast guard personnel eventually rescued 32 of the tour boat's occupants while a local fisherman pulled the 10 other survivors out of the water. All were already wearing lifejackets when they were found floating near the overturned vessel.

Local officials said none of those who were rescued suffered injuries that require urgent medical attention.

The passengers at the time also included tourists from Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and Germany.