Forty holidaymakers were left stranded in the sea after their tourist boat sank.
The passengers were enjoying an excursion when disaster struck yesterday (2 Mar).
The vessel started taking in water and a forced evacuation took place.
The tourists and three crew members were left in the water until emergency services plucked them to safety.
Fortunately, no fatalities or missing persons were reported.
The tourist boat was heading to the Rosario Islands, off the northern coast of Colombia, at the time of the incident.
The Colombian Navy, through its Coast Guard units in Cartagena, responded quickly to the emergency.
They were also accompanied by several civilian vessels in the area.
The victims were all safely brought to dry land and assisted by the authorities.
An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the accident.
A similar incident took place in the Rosario Islands in February 2023.
A tourist boat with 50 passengers capsized in the sea while returning to Cartagena.
No one was injured on that occasion either.
Residents are calling on the authorities to strengthen security and surveillance measures related to maritime tourism in the area.
