MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falkland Islands authorities respond to Argos Georgia incident

A coordinated rescue operation was swiftly initiated, involving the Falkland Islands Government, the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

The Falkland Islands Maritime Authority reported an emergency situation involving the fishing vessel Argos Georgia on Monday, July 22, 2024. The vessel, with 27 crew members on board, began taking on water approximately 200 miles east of Stanley, prompting an immediate request for assistance.

By 4 pm local time on Monday, the situation had escalated, forcing the crew to abandon the ship. A coordinated rescue operation was swiftly initiated, involving the Falkland Islands Government, the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, HQ British Forces South Atlantic Islands, the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency, the fishing vessel company, and other nearby fishing vessels.

On Tuesday, July 23, 2024, 14 crew members were successfully rescued. Thirteen of these individuals were transported to Stanley on the FPV Lilibet, where they were medically assessed at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital. One additional crew member was rescued by a nearby vessel and is expected to return to Stanley shortly.

Tragically, nine crew members have been confirmed dead, and their bodies have been recovered. Four crew members remain missing. The fishing vessel company has contacted the Next of Kin of those involved.

In light of the current weather conditions and the overall safety of the search and rescue teams, authorities have made the difficult decision to cease search and rescue efforts. However, they have pledged to initiate further recovery operations to locate the missing crew members as soon as conditions allow.

The Falkland Islands Government expressed its deepest condolences to the families affected by this tragedy. “Our thoughts and condolences are with all the families involved,” a spokesperson said. “We extend our gratitude to everyone who participated in the search and rescue effort.”