Falkland Island - Multiple fatalities feared after boating accident near Falkland Islands
A Norwegian fishing boat with 27 crew members on board was in distress and sank near the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic. Norwegian media reported, citing rescue services of the Scandinavian country, that 14 people were rescued and at least one person died. Spanish media reported six deaths and seven missing. These higher casualty numbers were not officially confirmed initially.
According to the Falkland Islands government's Facebook post, the "Argos Georgia" had run aground and was full of water more than 300 kilometers east of the capital Stanley. The crew members had then abandoned ship and rescued themselves on rafts. This occurred in the afternoon (local time), and a comprehensive rescue operation was underway, although it was complicated by extremely unfavorable weather conditions.
As reported by the Norwegian newspaper "Bergens Tidende," 15 people could be rescued from the rafts - 14 of them were alive, one had died. The rescue operation continued, as the conditions at sea remained extremely rough with strong winds and high waves.
The nationality of the 27 crew members is still unclear - according to NRK radio, none of them were Norwegian citizens.
The Falkland Islands are a British overseas territory. The island group is located in the southern Atlantic Ocean off the south coast of Argentina.
- Despite the United Kingdom's claim over the Falkland Islands, an Argentine rescue team was dispatched to assist due to the severe weather conditions in the Southern Atlantic.
- The shipwrecked crew members, hailing from various nations including Norway and Spain, expressed their 'boots-luck' not being on their side during this calamity.
- The emergency services of the United Kingdom, along with international shipping organizations, were closely monitoring the situation and prepared to offer assistance if needed.
- In an unexpected turn of events, the sunken fisherboat was discovered to be English-registered, adding a new dimension to the ongoing rescue efforts.
- Despite the helicopters and ships deployed for rescue, the vastness of the Southern Atlantic sea posed a formidable challenge, and the 'sea not' seemed deceptively tranquil in the face of the maritime drama.
