Rescue operations continue after multiple bodies found near Pilar de la Horadada
The authorities have confirmed the recovery of three bodies from the waters near Pilar de la Horadada in the Alicante region, with the Civil Guard Maritime Service saying that more bodies may still surface in the coming hours. The scene is connected to a larger incident involving a drifting boat in the Mar Menor area, where authorities later recovered two additional bodies. There is ongoing doubt about whether these new discoveries are linked to the same vessel, but the Civil Guard suspects all victims were passengers on a boat that capsized between the shores of Alicante and the Region of Murcia.
One line of inquiry being pursued is that the deceased may have been aboard a boat that left a port last Saturday. This craft reportedly sailed about 26 miles east of Cabo de la Nao, carrying only one occupant. A distress alert on that sailboat prompted a response from Salvamento Marítimo de Valencia, which dispatched the Helimer 223 helicopter to the area. The helicopter recovered a lone man from the vessel and brought him to safety.
The Civil Guard reported the first body at 3:40 p.m. on Sunday, found in the waters off Pilar de la Horadada. Later, another object was reported at 7:45 p.m. in the same vicinity, prompting immediate search efforts in the area where the initial notification had been received. The third body was located at 10:40 p.m. near Las Higuericas Beach in Pilar de la Horadada; the location had originally been described as Mojón Beach in San Pedro del Pinatar, leading to initial confusion about exact coordinates. Local authorities are coordinating a careful verification process to determine whether all three victims are connected to the same incident.
On the day prior to these discoveries, a drifting vessel was spotted approximately 42 miles east of Cabo de la Nao. A small six-meter fiberglass boat with a single occupant was reported by a sailor who stumbled upon it. Helimer 223 from the Marine Rescue fleet was quickly dispatched to the scene and conducted a rescue operation, with the rescued individual subsequently transported to Manises Airport by Maritime Rescue for medical care. An ambulance was stationed at the airport to take the rescued person to the nearest health facility for further evaluation.
Officials note that boats of this size can typically carry ten to twenty people, depending on the conditions and the boat’s configuration. There is growing concern that other passengers on the grounded or drifting vessel may still be at risk as maritime conditions continue to pose hazards to anyone attempting the crossing. Rescue and search teams emphasize the importance of swift action and coordinated response in these scenarios, as weather patterns and sea states can change rapidly and complicate recovery efforts. The investigation into the identity of the victims and the exact circumstances surrounding the sinking remains active, with investigators cross-checking maritime records, passenger manifests, and distress signals to establish a clear link between the found bodies and the drifting boat. Inquiries continue as authorities work to provide families with information and to warn others about the dangers of attempting sea crossings in overloaded or poorly equipped vessels.