A seemingly promising afternoon of fishing in the Matanzas Bay swiftly turned into a frantic struggle for survival and an effort to salvage the results of years of hard work. Alexander Fernández and Jorge Luis Ceballos, both seasoned fishermen, recounted to Girón how an unexpected impact at the stern of their boat caused it to sink, leaving them stranded at sea.
Their day began around three in the afternoon, with plans to take advantage of the sunset to catch bonitos. Everything suggested it would be a fruitful day. "We didn't see a single fish in the entire bay until, around six, the bonitos started surfacing. We caught three in rapid succession," Ceballos shared.
But as they reeled in the last one, a sudden, powerful blow struck the boat. "It hit the back, right at the stern. Immediately, water started pouring in," he recalled. Instinctively, they aimed for shallower waters to avoid losing the vessel entirely. Alexander attempted to bail out the water with a bucket, but the influx was so overwhelming that the engine soon stalled.
Help arrived from a fellow fisherman nearby. Noticing their distress signals, he approached and threw them a rope to tow them to safety. "Everything happened in under three minutes; we were floating in the middle of the sea," Ceballos recounted. However, the rope snapped during the towing attempt. Nevertheless, they managed to reach a spot with a depth of ten fathoms, from where they watched their boat finally sink.
Meanwhile, back on land, the president of the fishing base, Teresa, acted swiftly. She mobilized several colleagues, and in no time, three large boats, along with two underwater fishermen, arrived at the scene. They secured the vessel with thick ropes and towed it back to the bay, successfully retrieving all equipment: oars, nylon, fishing gear, and even the motor.
The pressing question remains: what hit them? "At first, I thought it was a shark," admitted Ceballos. "But that day, there was a massive pod of dolphins in the bay, and although I've never seen one behave that way, I believe it could have been one." Alexander nodded in agreement, "It was heartbreaking to see it (the boat) go under so quickly. It's the sacrifice of a lifetime, lost in an instant."
The ordeal was so intense that Ceballos mentioned his companion feared it might be his last day as a fisherman. Yet, just a week later, with the boat repaired and the engine restored, they returned to the sea. "The first time back, we looked at each other with fear, but we pushed on. This is our calling," he stated. Now, they venture into deeper waters with greater caution, yet their passion remains unchanged.
Although they still lack definitive proof of what marine creature caused the mishap, both agree that the incident forever altered their perception of how fragile a man and his boat can be in the open waters.
Understanding the Mysterious Boat Collision in Matanzas
What caused the boat to sink in Matanzas Bay?
The boat was struck by a sudden and powerful blow at the stern, leading to a rapid influx of water and ultimately causing it to sink. The fishermen suspect it might have been a dolphin, as there was a large pod in the bay that day.
How did the fishermen get rescued?
A nearby fisherman noticed their distress signals and approached to help. He threw them a rope to tow them to safety, although the rope broke during the process. Eventually, they reached shallower waters and witnessed their boat sink.
What actions were taken after the boat sank?
The president of the fishing base, Teresa, quickly mobilized several colleagues. Three large boats, along with two underwater fishermen, reached the scene, secured the sunken vessel with thick ropes, and towed it back to the bay. They successfully retrieved all equipment, including oars, nylon, fishing gear, and the motor.