The Strange Disappearance of a Waitress from a CSIC Ship Who Reported a Sexual Assault

Exactly one year ago, the oceanographic vessel García del Cid, affiliated with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), made an emergency docking in Gandía (Valencia), but the crew was not complete. María del Carmen Fernández, a 43-year-old Galician woman, married with three children, who worked as a waitress on board, had disappeared. Four years earlier, she had reported a colleague for sexual assault in the cabin. The case was dismissed without a conviction for the accused, leading her to take months off work and undergo psychological treatment. She requested a transfer to another ship, but they ended up together again.

'Salvados' addresses this case and those of other women who reported sexual abuse at sea. In its return this Sunday at 9:25 PM on La Sexta, the program presented by Gonzo reconstructs Mari Carmen's story. The justice system closed the investigation as no evidence of crime was found in her disappearance. Suicide was considered a hypothesis, but her body was never found. Among her belongings, her personal diary was found, to which the program has had access. Additionally, WhatsApp messages sent to her family will be shown, revealing the ordeal Mari Carmen suffered for a long time.

"The story of Carmen is that of an employee with the particularity that she works at sea. In my first 'Salvados', we talked about workplace harassment in large companies, but listening to Mari's family makes us realize the daily consequences of certain situations that often don't get the importance they deserve," explains the journalist in a media meeting, focusing on CSIC which, in his view, did not show empathy in following up on this case.

The journalist interviews José Ramón, her husband, for the first time in a media outlet. He recounts that his wife had already reported one of her crew members for sexual assault in 2018. 'Salvados' also speaks with María José, Mari Carmen's sister-in-law, who expresses how she managed to recover emotionally after the harassment episode. The report explains that she was very excited when last September she was set to embark on another CSIC mission. However, once Mari Carmen was already on board the ship, they received messages where she relived her nightmare. The next event was her disappearance.

The new season of 'Salvados' delves into a reality faced by women at sea. Cases of harassment experienced violently in a claustrophobic, hierarchical environment with no escape like an oceanographic vessel. "Mari Carmen's story is not extraordinary and it is not coincidental. At CSIC, there have been twelve harassment complaints in recent months. And there has been no solution," Gonzo denounces.

"In such a masculinized place as the sea, in such confined spaces as a ship, and over periods that can last up to four or five months without leaving, how can it be that given this reality, a public government organization—often described as the most feminist in history—allows these things to continue happening?" questions the presenter. In Mari Carmen's case, CSIC decided in July to dismiss the entire crew of García del Cid. They also activated the sexual harassment protocol following the complaints. However, some voices have criticized that this regulation is not being enforced.

In 2019, the Galician presenter faced the challenging task of taking over from Jordi Évole in a format where Évole left his personal mark. But Gonzo managed to establish his own style which is now recognized by audiences. The new batch of reports aims to offer a new concept to 'Salvados' through one primary objective: giving voice to the protagonists of these stories, as seen in this first episode dedicated to Mari Carmen. "When you talk to the protagonists of a story you humanize it," he justifies.

'Salvados' Brand

For Gonzo, 'Salvados' is a "value" where each topic is given many hours with one question that drives the entire team: What do we need to do that others are not doing? "And this doesn't lead us to do things recklessly; we must do them while being 'Salvados'. The name demands much from us, especially respecting our audience," Gonzo states. "We work to achieve something unique and illustrative," adds the journalist. Last season, La Sexta's program closed with an average screen share of 6.2% and 849,000 viewers.

Throughout the new season, 'Salvados' will travel to the Basque Country to closely examine how personal bodyguards lived during ETA's most violent years when anyone could be their target. Another episode will reveal the darker side of social media through people who have worked on these platforms.

Gonzo and his team will also focus one episode on one of Spain's most iconic indie bands: Supersubmarina. Its members will share with Gonzo how a group of friends achieved their dream only to see it shattered by a car accident they suffered.