By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Wednesday, the National Coast Guard Service reported the recovery of the bodies of two men, that were part of the crew of the fishing vessel named Kin, which sank near the coast of Puntarenas*.

According to the Coast Guard report, on Tuesday night, they were alerted that a ship was fishing sardines in the Pacific Sea, approximately two nautical miles or 3.5 kilometers off the coast of Puntarenas.

For reasons that are still under investigation, the ship suffered a mechanical problem which caused it to sink.

According to Commissioner Martín Arias-Araya, Director of the National Coast Guard Service, two rescue ship units, GC 32-10 and GC 38-12, were sent to rescue the crew of nine people.

"Another ship named Neptune, from the same company that owns Kin, was also sent to support the Coast Guard," said the officials in its report.

The Coast Guard reported seven crew members were rescued on Tuesday. At the pier in Puntarenas, they received medical attention from the Red Cross paramedics.

The search for the last two missing crew members continued until Wednesday afternoon. At 2:00 p.m., the location of the first body of a man surnamed Gonzalez was reported. Two hours later, the second body, a man surnamed Phillips, was found.

The Coast Guard listed the surnames of the survivors as, Morales-Rosales (the Captain), Badilla-Obando, Villegas–Perez, Gomez–Zapata, Herrera-Gonzalez, Mata-Gonzalez, and a Nicaraguan citizen Gutierrez – Toledo.

The case will be investigated by the agents of the Judicial Investigation Organization.

Related to the most recent case of a rescue operation by Coast Guard, as was reported on A.M. Costa Rica in May was the case of a U.S. citizen a woman surnamed Smith, 32, who suffered respiratory problems while diving in Flamingo Beach* in the province of Guanacaste.

According to the officials, the incident took place in the sea of Santa Catalina Island* about 10 kilometers away from the Flamingo coast. The area is a recognized site for recreational and professional diving.

The coastguard moved interceptor boat GC 38-18 to the Santa Catalina Island, and then take the tourist to the Flamingo Station. "The woman suffered decompression while diving, so she received first aid support," said the officials in its report.

The Coast Guard officers also coordinated with personnel of the fire department, as well as with private paramedics ambulance to move the tourist to the clinic of the town of Huacas* in Santa Cruz. "The woman left the hospital in stable condition later the same day.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, decompression sickness is a disorder in which nitrogen dissolved in the blood and tissue by forming high-pressure bubbles as pressure decreases.

Symptoms can include fatigue and pain in muscles and joints. In the most severe type, symptoms may be similar to those of stroke and can include difficulty breathing and chest pain.

People are treated with oxygen and recompression therapy (high-pressure, or hyperbaric oxygen). Limiting the depth and duration of dives and the speed of ascent can help with prevention.






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How can the Coast Guard be more prepared for responding to reports of sunken ships? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com

 

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