WILLEMSTAD – A yacht carrying 19 people sank Thursday morning during a trip to Klein Curaçao after the vessel began taking on water near Oostpunt.
The yacht, identified as the Alexia, reportedly started experiencing problems while en route to the small island off Curaçao’s southeastern coast.
According to initial information, the captain attempted to return to Curaçao after the vessel began filling with water, but was unable to make it back to shore.
As the situation worsened, nearby boats rushed to assist. All passengers were evacuated in time and safely transported to the fishing harbor near Caracasbaai.
The Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard deployed a helicopter to monitor the situation from the air and help ensure the safety of those on board. Volunteers from CITRO Curaçao were also present during the rescue operation.
The yacht could not be saved and eventually sank completely to the bottom of the sea.
No injuries have been reported so far.
