Three elderly tourists from Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom have lost their lives at sea while enjoying a catamaran cruise off the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Acting President Ana Helena Chacon, who is currently in office as President Luis Guillermo Solis is on an official trip to China, held a press conference during which she indicated that 106 passengers were rescued after the catamaran Pura Vida Princess was reported to be taking on water and sinking in the morning of January 8^th.

 

Forensic investigators in Jaco Beach have identified the dearly departed as follows:

 

• A Canadian female by the last name of Johnston, age 70
• A British male by the last name of Stanley, age 80
• A male from the United States by the last name of Oliver, age 68

 

Rescuers from the Red Cross and the local fire brigade received a 9-1-1 call after 9:00 am on January 8^th. The emergency call indicated one of the worst fears in maritime circles: A fire aboard. Officers from Fuerza Publica, the national police force of Costa Rica, set up triage areas in Puerto Caldera as well as Marina Los Sueños, both in the province of Puntarenas. The first wave of 26 rescued passengers arrived within an hour of the shipboard fire.

 

According to a news report by Carlos Mora of online news daily Costa Rica Hoy, the sailing catamaran had 109 people aboard at the time of the incident; ten of them were the ship’s crew. The vessel was equipped with six lifeboats with a maximum capacity of 22 each, plus there were 150 lifejackets for adults and 24 for children. Most of the passengers are from the United States; to this end, vehicles from the American Embassy were dispatched to the coastal triage areas.