Maritime Authority Seals Off Stranded Sailboat in Cabo de Palos and Demands a €10,000 Guarantee

Maritime Authority has ordered the removal and sealing of a sailboat of presumed French flag that has been stranded since September 10 in the Ensenada de la Encañizada, north of Cabo de Palos.

The agency had given a deadline to the owner to hire a specialized company to refloat the vessel or remove the hull from the area. As the requirement was not met within the established timeframe, an authorized company intervened to remove the sailboat from the grounding area, refloat it, and transport it to a storage facility.

Additionally, the Maritime Authority has decreed the sealing of the sailboat and the prohibition of it leaving the sea, and has demanded a guarantee of €10,000 from the owner. This amount aims to ensure compliance with the measures adopted within the sanctioning administrative file.

According to the information provided by the entity, the sailboat did not have valid civil liability insurance and also lacked the required nighttime signaling and surveillance.

The action was carried out for maritime safety reasons and to prevent possible damage or pollution, especially due to the location of the sailboat in a bathing area and within an environmentally protected space.

The sailboat has been moved to the Tomás Maestre marina, where it will remain immobilized. Its return to the owner will be conditional on the development of the administrative procedure, compliance with precautionary measures, and the payment of the guarantee and the costs incurred from the removal, transport, and storage of the sailboat.

Photo: Maritime Authority