Six feared dead after salmon farming workboat sinks in Chile
The bodies of three crew have been recovered and a search is taking place for another three who are missing and presumed dead after a salmon farming support vessel sank in Chile in the early hours of Monday. Two other crew members were rescued after swimming to shore, according to TV news reports.
The sinking of the catamaran-type Koñimo 1 occurred in the Reloncaví Estuary, in Cochamó, Los Lagos region, Fish Farming Expert’s Chilean sister site, Salmonexpert.cl, reports.
After receiving an alert, the Maritime Authority immediately launched a search and rescue operation in the area, which led to rescuers finding the two survivors and confirming that six crew members were missing.
Three still missing
The bodies of three of the missing crew have been recovered, without the identity of the victims being known at this time.
Yesterday, rescue and recovery work was being carried out in the area with personnel from the Maritime Governorate of Puerto Montt, the Port Captaincies of Puerto Montt and Cochamó, divers from a salvage team and with the participation of volunteers from lifeboats. An aircraft from the Puerto Montt Naval Air Group was also involved.
Diving operations were due to resume at first light today, with the goal of locating the remaining crew members, and a search will continue in the hope of finding survivors.
The Koñimo 1's crew had been carrying out work for Salmones Austral.
The salmon farmer told Salmonexpert: "We deeply regret the deaths of the crew members and the disappearance of others following the sinking of the Koñimo I vessel, belonging to the Koñimo company, at approximately 4:00 am, for reasons that are currently under investigation by the authorities. We have been informed that the vessel sank while anchored 70 metres from the shore under normal weather conditions."
Permits up to date
Salmones Austral said Koñimo is a company specialising in infrastructure maintenance work "that provides us with services sporadically and whose vessel had all its permits up to date. Its work at our centre ended at 6:00 pm on Monday, so at the time of the sinking the crew was resting inside the Koñimo I vessel".
"Once we were alerted to the sinking of the Koñimo I vessel, our teams immediately contacted the relevant authorities, and as a company, we deployed all our human and technical resources to assist in the rescue, providing technical teams on the ground, underwater ROVs, support vessels, and specialised divers. These teams remain deployed and at the disposal of the authorities to contribute to the search for the missing crew members," the salmon farmer stated.
Today, the company said: “Our priority is to actively collaborate in the search efforts for the missing persons and to support their families and loved ones of the deceased crew members and the two survivors.
"We express our deepest condolences for this painful tragedy. We will stand with and provide all possible support to the families, with whom we are in contact to collaborate in any way needed."
