MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chilean fisherman rescued from cold Pacific Ocean waters

Police Lieutenant Carlos Campos said the drones were pivotal for the operation's success

Chilean authorities used a thermal drone to locate in the Magellan Strait area and later rescue a fisherman from the Pacific Ocean, it was reported Monday. The man later identified as Sergio Brito was wearing adequate clothing, thanks to which he survived the cold temperatures. In addition, he clung to seaweed while waiting for Carabineros and the Navy.

On Saturday night, Carabineros received an emergency call at around 10.30 pm from Brito saying he had been lost for at least three hours after becoming disoriented while fishing at Punta Delgada in the commune of San Gregorio. After that, the search protocols were activated, including a drone with thermal cameras.

Brito was found almost a kilometer from dry land, where he was attached to sargasso (a group of brown algae that serves as food, shelter, and breeding grounds for marine fauna) to avoid being swept away by the current.

En un oportuno y rápido trabajo en conjunto entre @Carabdechile de la Tenencia #MonteAymond y de la sección drones de la 5a com. COP esta madrugada se logró el rescate de un pescador que se encontraba perdido y atrapado en los sargazos de su bote, en el sector de #PuntaDelgada pic.twitter.com/3W8oJWa03p

— Carabineros Región Magallanes y Antártica Ch. (@CarabMagallanes) October 13, 2024

“During the night Carabineros deployed their human and logistical resources in response to the alert of a person lost at sea,” explained Lieutenant Carlos Campos of the 5th Police Station. He underlined that the drones with advanced technology were pivotal for the operation's success.

Due to the difficulty accessing Brito's location, the Navy was summoned. The Port Captaincy recommended waiting until dawn to execute the rescue, which was performed at about 8 am Sunday, bringing the fisherman and his boat ashore. Brito was later taken to the local San Gregorio hospital, where it was determined that he had no relevant physical complications.

(Source: BioBio)