National Coast Guard saves 3 persons on sinking vessel

While the B.D.F. was patrolling in the west, the Belize Coast Guard was called out on a rescue mission.  On Thursday morning the Coast Guard responded to a distress call to save three persons whose thirty eight foot vessel hit an unidentified object and started to sink near the Turneffe Atolls. The Coast Guard was able to get to the area soon after the call and averted a tragedy by rescuing the three persons as the boat was about to capsize.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Javier Bosch, Logistics Officer, BNCG

Javier Bosch

“They reported that a vessel name Eagle Ray was reportedly taking in water. Upon receiving that information the FOB, the Four Operating Base Calabash immediately deployed its assets, both the Boston Wheeler that you can see behind me and a smaller vessel that can transport in shallower water areas. Both vessels were deployed to recover the three passengers that reported to be on board. The three passengers were, the Boat Captain Edison Gabourel age forty eight, Nicholas Hall age fifty-five and Venda Hall her age was not given. Both of these people of the passengers are naturalized Belizeans. Now the vessel was transporting or enroute from Turneffe Flats resort, which is the north-west area of the Turneffe Range to Turneffe Lodge Resort which is the Southern most resort in the Turneffe Atoll Range. Apparently when we received the call the vessel had hit an unidentified object enroute to their location. The location given to the Belize Coast Guard was somewhere between the Crayfish Range which is the central area of the Turneffe Atolls Range. At about ten forty hours the Belize Coast Guard deployed, and were there within ten minutes. When they arrived at the location the vessel Eagle Ray was almost fully submerged. The three passengers onboard were sitting on the bough of the vessel just waiting for the vessel to capsize.”

No injuries are reported and the vessel has been removed from the waters. The Coast Guard says they have been unable to identify what object that caused the boat to sink.