Spanish businessman Juan José Mutilba Obregón missing in Ionian Sea

Italian authorities have officially suspended the search for Juan José Mutilba Obregón, a 66-year-old Spanish businessman who disappeared in the Ionian Sea after falling from his sailboat, the Theorema. The incident occurred on August 18 while the couple was traveling from Syracuse, Sicily, to Pylos, Greece. According to his son, Sergio Mutilba, the businessman reportedly slipped on fish blood while cleaning a tuna and fell overboard.

His wife, Carmen Diez, 67, was unable to immediately maneuver the vessel back to the site of the fall due to shock and lack of experience with the larger boat. She managed to record the exact GPS coordinates of the disappearance before drifting for three days. She was eventually located near Pylos on August 21 after regaining a cellular signal.

The suspension of the search has sparked significant backlash from the family and local officials in Burgos, Spain. The Mayor of Burgos, Cristina Ayala, has formally requested that the Spanish government intervene and coordinate with Italian authorities to reactivate the search using Spanish maritime and aerial resources. The family has criticized the Spanish government for a perceived lack of institutional support and active involvement in the operation.