33 rescued after tour boat sinks off Cartagena, Spain

Maritime search and rescue (SAR) teams and Good Samaritans came to the aid of the occupants of a small tour boat after it broke apart and sank off Cartagena in Spain’s Murcia province on Sunday, November 14.

The catamaran vessel had just departed the Port of Cartagena when the incident occurred at around 16:20 local time on Sunday.

Some nearby tugs and fishing vessels as well as lifeboats from the Salvamento Maritimo SAR agency rushed to the scene to render assistance. All 33 people who were on board the catamaran were safely rescued, though 14 were brought to hospital later that day to be treated for hypothermia.

One crewmember said they heard cracking noises just moments before the boat sank.

A local official told reporters on Sunday that they were able to contact the catamaran’s owner, who claimed that the vessel had passed all necessary safety inspections prior to sailing.

The incident remains under investigation.