Progreso, Yucatan — A fisherman who was tossed off his boat during a recent storm remains missing in the state of Yucatan.
On Sunday, a fishing boat that had left the port of Yucalpetén was caught in the unexpected strong winds that arrived with Cold Front No. 31. Five members of the crew were thrown overboard, however, other crew members were able to retrieve four.
One man, 50-year-old Blas Martinez Vermont, remains missing.
One of the crew members says that he was a few meters away from the fisherman at the exact moment the storm hit them. He shouted at them to tie themselves to the boat, but the rain was so intense that he lost sight of them within a few minutes.
Members of the Naval Zone along with other fishing vessels searched for three days for the fisherman, but without success.
His sister, Yolanda Martínez, said she hopes naval authorities will continue the search since she fears other fishermen will stop since the grouper ban begins February 1. Martinez Vermont was part of the fishing crew of Pescamex 23.
On Sunday, an expected cold front arrived along the Yucatan Peninsula with unexpected strong winds and heavy rains that affected the entire region. The storm, Cold Front No. 31, was felt from Progreso to Tulum.
