Families seek news of missing persons after maritime incidents

Families in Costa Rica and Mexico are searching for loved ones following separate maritime incidents involving missing persons.

In Limón, Costa Rica, three artisanal fishermen—Carlos Daniel Díaz Zárate, Michaell Gonzales Barrantes, and Friedric Joao Brown Gutiérrez—have been missing since October 19. They departed on the vessel ‘El Corrongo’ for a fishing trip but never returned. Family members report that the boat began experiencing mechanical issues before departure. Despite reports made to the 911 emergency service, the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ), and the National Coast Guard, the families say they have received little assistance and are calling for international help.

In Mexico, families are seeking information regarding migrants who were aboard a vessel that shipwrecked off the coast of Ensenada. On October 16, the U.S. Coast Guard received a distress call from a sinking boat carrying 27 people. While 16 individuals were rescued and transported to hospitals in San Diego, the whereabouts of others remain unknown. Relatives, including Matilde Santos and Jessica Castro, are attempting to confirm if their brothers were among the survivors after rescue operations were halted on October 19.