A search is under way for a 66-year-old Spanish businessman who reportedly fell from his sailing boat while travelling with his wife from Sicily to Greece.
Juan José Mutilba Obregón has been missing since Tuesday, after the couple departed Syracuse in Sicily on Monday, bound for Pylos.
According to Spanish media reports, the 66-year-old had caught a tuna on Tuesday morning and was cleaning it when he apparently slipped, possibly on the fish’s blood, and fell into the sea.
His wife reportedly heard him calling her by her nickname and telling her to turn off the engine.
Wife unable to contact authorities
The 67-year-old woman tried to help her husband but was unable to stop the boat, which continued moving away from the location where he fell.
The couple were around 150 nautical miles from the coast and the woman reportedly had no mobile phone signal, leaving her unable to contact the authorities.
Three days later, on Friday, she managed to obtain a mobile signal and contacted a friend of her husband, who raised the alarm.
Spain’s maritime rescue service, Salvamento Marítimo, notified the relevant authorities in Italy and Greece. Nearby vessels and rescue assets were mobilised, while Greek authorities eventually took control of the sailing boat and escorted it safely to Pylos.
Greek Coast Guard operation
According to a statement from the Greek Coast Guard, the Pylos Port Authority was informed on 21 August by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre about a French-flagged sailing boat requiring assistance around 18 nautical miles offshore.
A land patrol vehicle, two Coast Guard patrol vessels and the fishing boat Ioanna-Marina were sent to the area.
The sailing boat was found adrift with the 67-year-old Spanish woman on board. She was reported to be in good health.
The vessel was subsequently brought safely into the marina at Pylos with assistance from the fishing boat and an escort from the Coast Guard patrol vessels.
A preliminary investigation is being conducted by the Pylos Port Authority.
Family calls for search to continue
Mutilba, who worked in the information technology sector, ran D’ors Informática for years before becoming involved in water distribution to businesses through Mutobre, S.L., a company taken over by his son last year.
Following his early retirement, sailing became one of his main interests and he regularly travelled around the Mediterranean with his wife.
His wife, Carmen, is now safe in Pylos, where the family is awaiting news about his whereabouts.
His son, Sergio, has called for the search operation to continue and said he believes Spanish authorities should also become involved.
The family is seeking the mobilisation of additional resources so that the search for the missing sailor can continue.
Also read: Panama Canal restrictions tighten as El Niño hits
For more videos and updates, check out our YouTube channel
