ARUBA – After midnight on Sunday, July 13, the Maritime Operations Center of the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard received a report about a potentially missing boat at sea. It concerns a sport fishing boat that had departed from Aruba on Saturday morning. The boat was expected to return before sunset.
There are a total of four local fishermen on board the vessel.
A Metal Shark-type patrol boat was immediately dispatched, and at the same time, a Coast Guard helicopter and airplane were deployed to assist in the search.
The Maritime Operations Center also sent out a message to all vessels in the area, asking them to stay alert and possibly assist in the search.
On Sunday morning, at first light, the search resumed. Both the helicopter and the airplane continued searching throughout the morning and afternoon. The search concluded after sunset. The search took place far off the coast, west-northwest from Aruba. Several local boats also joined the search. The search will continue tomorrow morning.
