French Sailboat Rescued Adrift at Night Near Tabarca Island

Strong gusts of wind and rough sea conditions were faced by a sailboat that lost its engine during its journey through Alicante waters. The crew, consisting of two men and two women, called for help via radio after drifting and running aground on the rocks of the northern part of Tabarca Island.

A patrol from the Alicante Civil Guard Maritime Service arrived at the area to rescue the sailboat and its four crew members. The incident occurred at midnight on October 8, leaving a "dangerous situation" for the officers to handle.

The over ten-meter-long vessel was without an engine and was being forcefully dragged towards this rocky area where other sailboats had wrecked in recent days. The Civil Guard patrol was conducting specialty tasks near the incident when they received the 'Pan pan' distress call via channel 16 VHF radio.

The officers responded immediately and headed to the location. Upon arrival, they heard the crew's cries for help as they were at the mercy of the waves approaching the rocks. Despite the sea conditions and the risk of the maneuver, as the works pushed both vessels, the Civil Guard team managed to throw a line and tow the sailboat to a safe area.

The rescue team continued the maneuvers with great difficulty until they managed to pass Cape Santa Pola, where weather conditions improved. The sailboat was towed to the port of this Alicante municipality around 1:30 a.m. There, they requested medical assistance for one of the crew members who had suffered a cut on the arm.

The officers concluded the rescue of this adrift sailboat near Tabarca Island around 2:30 a.m. They left the crew in a safe area and moored the vessel at the Mira Mar Marina gas station in the Port of Santa Pola.