Robots and rescue teams detected the fishing vessel Vilaboa Uno in trouble this Sunday off the coast of Santander. The vessel sank after reporting a hull breach, and the search to locate any missing crew members continued into the following day. The incident prompted a coordinated response from maritime authorities, rescue services, and airborne search assets as part of a sustained effort to secure the area and account for all on board.
Responders arrived in Santander on Sunday morning and confirmed that Rov Comanche located the sunken craft around 13:10 local time. The discovery underscored the severity of the incident, which claimed the lives of two fishermen. Emergency teams immediately shifted focus to search operations and the rescue of survivors, while preparing for ongoing investigations and assessments of the vessel’s last-known position and condition.
Per updates from the Government Delegation in Cantabria, the search operations were set to resume early Monday with the continued involvement of on-scene vessels and the Sea Rescue service. The Don Inda, a rescue ship en route from Ferrol, carried robot-assisted gear to enhance underwater recovery capabilities and to support the search thrust in the深海 region. This deployment highlights the collaborative approach used to cover both surface and subsurface areas where victims might still be located.
As the in-depth search persists, authorities have coordinated aerial and maritime patrols. Civil Guard air units, along with Salvamento Marítimo helicopters such as Helimer 202, conducted overflights to scan expansive zones and relay fresh information to surface teams. Surface patrol boats including Río Aller and Río Guadalhorce remained active, guiding divers and maintaining communications with command centers. Salvamar Deneb was slated to join the operation on Monday to widen survey coverage and assist in the recovery process.
Vilaboa Uno sank at dawn last Monday with a crew of ten aboard. Seven crew members were rescued by nearby vessels in the area after they reported a hull issue to Marine Rescue. Investigators and rescue coordinators continue to work through the wreck’s debris field and the surrounding seascape to determine the sequence of events leading to the tragedy and to glean any additional safety lessons for the fishing fleet and maritime responders. The ongoing efforts underscore the commitment of Cantabrian authorities to saving lives at sea and to conducting a thorough, transparent inquiry in the wake of the accident.