Cristina Hodgson
SALVAMENTO Maritimo’s search for two individuals reported missing while kayaking in Torremolinos has now entered ‘phase two’.
The initial alert was triggered on Saturday when two people disappeared while kayaking in waters off the coast of the popular tourist hotspot.
On receiving the alert, the Maritime Rescue centre in Tarifa (Cadiz) mobilised the boat Salvamar Anitak and the helicopter Helimer 204.
After an unsuccessful exploration of the waters and surrounding coastline, the search resumed at first light on Sunday.
Early Sunday afternoon, at 1pm, after an ‘intense search with negative results’, Salvamento Maritimo returned to base, saying the search would move to a ‘second phase.’
Maritime Rescue’s ‘second phase’ protocol, referred to as ‘Notice to Mariners’, involves an official communication sent by radio to boats in the area.
The communication informs vessels to be on the alert in case of any sightings or news, in which case the search by Salvamento Maritimo would be reactivated.
This is not the first time reports of missing people whilst kayaking off Spanish waters have triggered major Maritime search operations.
At the end of last year, the search for missing expat Kenneth Dallas McPherson, 62, went on for weeks and was covered by leading UK and Spanish press
The body of the missing expat was eventually found washed up two months later, some 205 km from where he was reported missing.
