WILLEMSTAD – Volunteers from rescue organization CITRO Curaçao rescued two people during a nighttime operation after their sailboat became disabled off the rough north coast of Curaçao.
According to CITRO, an emergency call was received around 11:00 p.m. on Wednesday reporting that a sailboat approximately one nautical mile off the coast near Sint Joris Bay had encountered serious problems at sea. The vessel reportedly had no functioning engine, while its sails had also been torn.
A team of volunteers immediately departed toward the dark and turbulent waters along the island’s northern coastline. By that time, the sailboat was already drifting rapidly westward.
CITRO said the vessel was eventually located around 2:30 a.m., despite the fact that it had no working lights on board. The rescue operation received assistance from Dutch Navy station ship HNLMS Friesland, which helped with radar support during the search.
Around 3:00 a.m., rescuers succeeded in taking the sailboat under tow near Curaçao International Airport. Due to the rough sea conditions, it was decided to navigate around the western side of the island toward Westpunt, a route of approximately fifteen nautical miles.
By around 6:00 a.m., the operation had reached the area near Watamula. Several hours later, the sailboat was safely secured at a temporary docking location near Playa Kalki.
After a brief rest, the volunteers returned to the boathouse. According to CITRO, the entire rescue mission lasted approximately twelve hours.