By Merve Berker
A fishing vessel carrying 27 people sank nearly 200 miles off the Falkland Islands, leaving at least six dead and seven missing, British and Spanish maritime officials confirmed on Tuesday.
A tragic maritime disaster unfolded in the South Atlantic, where a fishing boat carrying 27 people sank nearly 200 miles off the Falkland Islands.
The incident has left at least six people dead and seven missing, according to British and Spanish officials.
The Argos Georgia, a 176-foot vessel, suddenly flooded with water and sank.
A total of 14 survivors made it onto a life raft and were rescued by two nearby fishing boats.
The survivors were taken to Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands, for medical treatment, British officials said.
The Argentine navy reported that gusty winds and strong waves had damaged the vessel, causing it to fill with water rapidly.
The Falkland Islands government received an emergency signal from the Argos Georgia on Monday, indicating that the boat was east of Stanley.
A helicopter, another aircraft, and several vessels were deployed in the rescue effort, but operations were initially suspended due to rough waters and poor visibility.
Rescue efforts resumed on Tuesday as the weather improved.
Spain's Pontevedra province in southeastern Galicia identified 10 of the crew members as Spaniards.
The provincial government said on X that they identified one of the deceased as the ship's cook from the town of Baiona and noted that the crew included several nationalities.
The Argos Georgia, managed by Argos Froyanes Ltd., a British-Norwegian company, was sailing under the flag of St. Helena, another British overseas territory.
The company expressed confidence in its crew's professionalism and their ability to handle emergency situations, stating: “Our crew members are true professionals and have regular training for such a situation.”
“We trust in their ability to use the safety equipment to the best of their ability,” it added.
The sinking of the Argos Georgia has reignited sovereignty disputes in the region.
The Falkland Islands, controlled by Britain but claimed by Argentina as the Malvinas, remain a point of contention between the two nations since the 1982 war.
The Argentine navy claimed it had received the vessel's distress call and coordinated the rescue efforts, while British authorities mentioned dispatching rescue teams but did not acknowledge any coordination with Argentina.
This disaster underscores the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the frigid waters east of Tierra del Fuego, where both British and Argentine authorities continue to assert their maritime claims.