Guayaquil authorities respond to partial sinking of Morgan tourist vessel

Emergency operations are underway in Guayaquil following the partial sinking of the Morgan, a private tourist vessel, near Malecón 2000 on the Guayas River. The incident occurred on the night of Monday, October 26, amid heavy rainfall.

Authorities have launched an inter-institutional response to prevent fuel and lubricant leaks from contaminating the river ecosystem. The Guayas Provincial Government, the Municipality of Guayaquil, the Ministry of Environment, and the Ecuadorian Navy are coordinating efforts. Specialized high-retention barriers have been deployed to absorb spilled fuel, which will later undergo safe environmental treatment.

Preliminary assessments suggest the vessel may have tilted due to a poor maneuver by operators, allowing water to enter and causing it to partially submerge at its pier. While municipal and provincial agencies are managing the environmental containment, the responsibility for recovering the private vessel lies with its owners.