Two Portuguese Fishing Vessels Lost in Two Days

 

Portugal's fishing community is mourning the loss of two vessels in the span of two days, with multiple crewmembers missing and feared lost at sea. 

On Tuesday at about 0750 hours, the commercial fishing vessel Carlos Cunha sent an EPIRB distress signal at a position about 200 nautical miles off the coast of Portugal. The vessel had seven Indonesian crewmembers aboard, and they abandoned ship. A good Samaritan fishing vessel rescued three who had made it into a life raft, but one of these survivors passed away after rescue. 

Four crewmembers remain missing, and a search is ongoing with support from the Portuguese Navy and Air Force. 

Carlos Cunha is homeported in the fishing village of Vila Praia de Ancora, and the local government expressed its support for the families. "The population of Vila Praia de Ancora unites in pain for the loss of these "Sea Wolves", who are still missing, expressing their solidarity and unconditional support to their families, sharing the suffering and keeping hope alive in a moment of deep anguish and collective mourning," the parish said in a statement. 

The Carlos Cunha had gone down once before, according to Faro de Vigo. The ill-fated vessel sank in 2005 of Ribadeo, with the loss of eight lives, and was refloated, renamed and restored before sinking again on Tuesday.

It was the second fatal fishing casualty off Portugal in two days. On Sunday afternoon, the fishing vessel Vila de Caminha capsized off the mouth of the Miño River, leaving three Indonesian nationals missing. Spain's Salvamento Maritimo contributed to a search effort, dispatching a fixed-wing plane and a helicopter as well as a rescue boat. 

Two of the Vila de Caminha's crewmembers were rescued safely, including the Portuguese skipper. Both recovered from hypothermia after transport to a nearby hospital. The vessel remained afloat, keel-up, and washed ashore on a beach for later removal, images from the scene showed.