One person has died and three remain missing after a boat accident between islands in Colombia’s Caribbean sea on Thursday, Colombian media reported.
The boat, containing three crew and three passengers whose nationalities were not confirmed, though their identities are known, was sailing between Colombia’s northern islands of Providencia and San Andres.
According to local authorities the boat, “Miss Isabel”, set sail from the island of San Andres Thursday at 5.30AM to cover the route to Providencia, which takes at least 16 hours. At 9AM, an explosion in the engine room and resulting fire caused those aboard to have to jump into the sea, 6 miles from the coast of San Andres.
The alarm was only raised Thursday afternoon, when the boat’s first officer Richard Manuel managed to reach San Andres by swimming. This instigated a search that quickly located another crew member, Aristides Velez Salinas. Both men were taken to San Andres’ public hospital where they are in stable conditions.
Reports indicated that one body has been located, while the Navy Coast Guard continue their search for the three people still missing.