Costa Rican fishermen rescued alive in Panama

Three Costa Rican fishermen have been rescued alive and in stable condition after being missing at sea since September 21. The crew of the artisanal fishing vessel El Cosmo, identified as Captain Omar Dunkley Salazar, Erick Hernández Madriz, and Dexter González Presida, were located in Panamanian Caribbean waters.

The rescue was made possible through coordinated efforts between the Costa Rican National Coast Guard and Panamanian maritime authorities, including the Aeronaval Service (Senan). The fishermen had been adrift for approximately six days after their boat's engine failed near the border between Costa Rica and Panama.

A critical breakthrough occurred when one of the crew members managed to connect to a Panamanian cellular network and placed a 9-1-1 emergency call. Following the call, Panamanian authorities deployed a patrol boat and an aircraft to locate the vessel approximately 20 nautical miles north of Cuango, in the province of Colón. The rescued men were transferred to the Almirante Cristóbal Colón Aeronaval Base for medical attention.