Hopes are fading for finding Beatriz Bertel, a tourist from Sinselejo who disappeared in the ocean more than 24 hours ago, alive. The woman, who was on a dive excursion with eight others at a dive site called Bajo Borbujuas in the area of Sal Medina, located about 7 nautical miles from Cartagena, disappeared on Saturday at 1 pm. According to the Navy, at that time the owner of the dive operation, Buzos Barú, reported the woman missing, and the Cartagena Coast Guard immediately began a sea and air search-and-rescue operation for the 40-year-old.
Lieutenant Commander (Capitan de Fragata) Germán Collazos, commander of the Cartagena Coast Guard Station, told The Herald that four Navy rapid response units, with air support by a aircraft of the Caribbean Air Group, searched for the woman until dusk on Saturday and resumed at 5:00 a.m. yesterday without success.
"We alerted all vessels sailing in the area to report to us if they find her. Mrs. Bertel and her companions were engaged in sport diving under hazardous weather and sea conditions that were present at that time; a low pressure area had increased the waves, currents and winds," said Lt. Cmdr. (Capt.) Collazos.
According to the Coast Guard Commander, because the dive operator took eight sport divers out in these conditions, a note of protest against the company providing the service had been lodged with the Port Authority of Cartagena, which will necessitate an investigation by Maritime Directorat General (Dimar).
"On Saturday winds were measured at between 20 and 25 knots, i.e., between 37 and 46 kilometers per hour. These were not good sea-weather conditions," said Collazos, who added that the Navy will spare no effort to find the missing woman.
The Coast Guard Commander called on the maritime community to continually check their sailing procedures and equipment as well as their plans for responding to untimely weather-related events at sea.
) and as for today they haven´t been able to find the lost lady.
