Five people rescued as their boat sinks off the coast of Sitges

Five occupants of a motorboat were rescued this Tuesday at noon when the vessel began to sink off the cement factory of Garraf, in Sitges. All were evacuated unharmed and no pollution was reported.

A wave caused water to enter the engine of a small boat that was sailing near the coast of Sitges, triggering a rescue operation that mobilised Maritime Rescue, Mossos d'Esquadra, and local lifeguards. The events occurred after 13:15 hours this Tuesday, when the boat, with five people on board, began to sink out at sea.

The alert reached the National Coordination Centre for Rescue through the emergency phone number 900. Immediately, the Salvamar Algenib from Maritime Rescue and the Maritime Unit of the Mossos d'Esquadra (UMME) based in Vilanova i la Geltrú were activated, along with the lifeguards from the beaches of Sitges. Six units from the Bombers de la Generalitat were also mobilised, although their intervention was ultimately not needed.

Rescue one by one with jet ski

The lifeguards were the first to arrive at the scene and confirmed that the small boat had five people on board, some wearing life jackets. The sea conditions were dangerous, with yellow flags raised at Cala Morisca and the beach of Garraf, the closest to the incident. In light of the emergency, the occupants were rescued one by one and transported on a jet ski to Vallcarca beach. None were injured.

Subsequently, the Salvamar Algenib confirmed the partial sinking of the boat and towed it to Vallcarca port. Authorities have indicated that there has been no marine pollution.

Coordination between emergency services

The operation demonstrated the effectiveness of the coordination between Maritime Rescue, the Mossos d'Esquadra, local lifeguards, and the Bombers. The rapid response prevented the situation from escalating, on a day when the poor state of the sea had already forced yellow flags to be raised at several beaches in the area. The UMME of Vilanova i la Geltrú played a key role in the rescue, along with the lifeguards who acted immediately.

The five rescued individuals, of whom no further details have been disclosed, were attended to on the beach and did not require medical assistance. The boat, for its part, remained partially submerged and was taken to port for inspection. Authorities remind the importance of respecting warning flags and checking the condition of vessels before heading out to sea, especially in adverse weather conditions.