RSOE Emergency and Disaster Information Service

Situation Update No. 2

Posted:2010-03-19, 04:04:33 [UTC]

Ref.no.: VIV-20100319-25371-ECU

Situation Update No. 2
On 2010-03-19 at 14:42:08 [UTC]

Event: Vehicle Incident
Location: Ecuador Island of Camaño Galapagos National Park

Number of Evacuated: 24 person(s)

It's believed a malfunctioning lighthouse is to blame for a shipwreck in the Galapagos Islands involving 16 Canadian tourists Wednesday evening. According to an incident report posted on the Adventure Travel News website, the M/S Alta yacht struck a reef around 8:30 p.m. while entering the harbour at Puerto Ayora on the southern coast of Santa Cruz Island. "Reports indicate that the lighthouse that serves as a reference point to the harbour entrance was not working, which is believed to have been the primary contributor to the incident," the report states. The 16 Canadians and eight Ecuadorean crew members aboard the vessel are reportedly safe and have been put up at a waterfront hotel in Santa Cruz. "The captain called for assistance from the port and the port sent boats," Fernando Diez of Quasar Expeditions in Quito says. Galapagos National Park vessels, the Ecuadorean navy and Alta crew member assisted with the evacuation. Diez said the incident aboard the 42-metre schooner did not change Thursday's scheduled activities. The tourists were expected to continue on to Charles Darwin Station and the Santa Crus highlands to view tortoises in the wild. Efforts are underway to remove the yacht from the reef, according to the incident report. "Fuel is being removed and containment measures are in place to mitigate any leaks should they occur, but none have been reported to date," it says. Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs says it's aware of the incident and that consular officials in Ecuador are providing assistance.