Mahahual, Q.R. — Government officials say they rescued two men after they were left grounded on a reef off the coast of Mahahual. The private vessel Isla Caribe III was left in the El Quebrado reef area after the boat ran aground Sunday.
According to the Secretary of the Navy of Mexico, personnel responded after a vessel ran aground one nautical mile east of the pier. The grounding left two crew members adrift.
According to the Navy, the alert was activated when the vessel Isla Caribe III, registration number SNK1005743 from St. Kitts and Nevis, suffered an operational failure that left it immobilized.
On board were French-born captain Louis Joliot Francois and Belgian citizen Benedikt Suykense Devos, both naturalized Mexican citizens.
Unable to move the vessel from the coral reef, Navy personnel coordinated the disembarkation of the sailors using a small rescue boat to bring them safely ashore. Neither were found harmed.
Authorities have not commented on how the men became hung up nor has there been any confirmed information on possible reef damage.
