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A sailboat carrying nine people, seven of them children, had to be rescued by the Guardia Civil after losing power and drifting through the Mar Menor in the middle of the night.

 

Officers from the Maritime Service of the Guardia Civil in the Region of Murcia were carrying out routine surveillance when they spotted the boat moving erratically at very low speed, with no navigation lights on despite the poor visibility. Something clearly wasn't right, so the patrol boat moved in to take a closer look.

 

As they approached, officers found the two adults on board in an obvious state of distress, with seven children also on the vessel. The crew explained that the boat's batteries had died completely, leaving them unable to start the engine, switch on the navigation lights or even use their communication equipment to call for help.

 

With no way of getting themselves back to shore safely, the Guardia Civil patrol boat towed the sailboat back to its home port.

 

According to the Maritime Service, situations like this are far from unusual at this time of year. Officers are urging boat owners to check battery levels thoroughly before heading out, and to keep an eye on what's draining power even when the boat isn't moving, whether that's deck lighting or other devices plugged in on board, such as electric stoves.

 

Image: Guardia Civil