The Costa Rica News (TCRN) – The Costa Rica government reported that it is working to improve safety and emergency protocols to prevent tragedies at sea after a catamaran sank last week, stranding over a hundred people and killing three.
As part of their efforts to prevent such situations in the future, authorities have agreed to submit a draft for aquatic navigation, which aims to promote an international convention for maritime search and rescue.
In addition, contact with the 9-1-1 National Emergency System is set to include the Coast Guard and a maritime emergency hotline.
“It is essential that the government and its institutions can guarantee that protocols were activated in a timely manner (in the wreck last week). Now it needs to be improved and this is a good opportunity for this, especially in high season for tourism,” said Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis.
Solis met with representatives of the Ministry of Public Security, the National Meteorological Institute, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, the Red Cross, the Costa Rican Tourism Institute, firefighters and the National Emergency Commission (CNE), to fully assess what happened to the ship and discuss possible recommendations on maritime emergencies, revision and creation of new protocols..
On Thursday, three foreign tourists were killed and 106 were rescued alive, but badly injured, after a tourist catamaran capsized about 11 miles offshore from Punta Leona, Puntarenas.
The ship, with a capacity of 120 passengers, was heading to Tortuga Island on a tour that it takes almost daily, and sank after it was hit by a strong wave. (ACAN-EFE)
The Costa Rica News (TCRN)
San Jose, Costa Rica