Six die in Chile salmon boat tragedy
The Chilean salmon industry was today coming to terms with the loss of several lives at one of the country’s fish farm sites.
Six crew members of a salmon farming support boat died after the vessel sank in the Reloncaví Estuary in the Los Lagos region of Chile earlier this week. Their bodies have since been recovered.
The Chilean Marine Authority immediately launched an official investigation into the incident at one of Salmones Austral's fish farm sites.
Two other crew members managed to swim ashore to safety.
The vessel called the Komimo 1 was carrying out maintenance work at the time for the company Salmones Austral.
The incident occurred in the early hours and weather conditions were reported to have been fairly normal. The boat was just 70 metres from shore.
Salmones Austral said the vessel was owned by an outside contractor, Koñimo, and that all permits were up to date.
The crew were apparently resting on board after finishing work the previous evening. Salmones Austral deployed teams, underwater ROVs, and specialised divers to assist in the search.
The Chilean Marine Authority immediately launched an official investigation into the incident.
A number of other salmon support workers, mainly divers, have died in different accident in Chile over the past 18 months, and concerns about safety are growing.
Salmones Austral was formed by the merger three aquaculture companies some years ago.
The company says on its website that its “business development is guided by principles based on strong and deep convictions”.
“These reflect how we work and make decisions. Integrity is one of these principles, and therefore we comply with the regulations that govern us, always striving to act ethically,” the statement adds.
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