The Costa Rica News (TCRN) – Tourists on a pleasure cruise had a terrible turn of events when the catamaran caught fire, stranding 98 people in open waters 6 nautical miles off the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.
An emergency call was issued at call at 9:30 a.m. (10:30 a.m. EST; 1530 GMT) that the catamaran was on fire. “We were alerted that a catamaran was sinking with about 100 people on board and sent our personnel to the area to begin operations,” said Guillermo Arroyo, director of rescues and operations for the Red Cross.
Personas rescatadas son trasladados #enestemomento hasta la estación de Guardacostas en Caldera. #catamarán pic.twitter.com/0DFcnTE9Vg
— Seguridad Pública (@seguridadcr) January 8, 2015
The Punta Leona authorities, the Red Cross, and the Coast Guard are currently working to retrieve all the passengers. Thankfully, 54 have already been safely rescued. However, four passengers have been found dead at the scene. (AP)
The Costa Rica News (TCRN)
San Jose, Costa Rica
