Two Irish sailors were saved by the Colombian Navy after their boat began to sink in the darkness on August 28.
The men, who had a lucky escape aboard the 'Pinocchio' sailboat, described the difficulty they faced when the boat "presented a fault at the hull, causing a strong entry of water that precipitated its sinking."
According to local reports, a search and rescue mission was launched 75 nautical miles (139 km) northwest of Riohacha after the ARC ‘Providencia’ ship and coast guard units made the emergency call.
The ‘Providencia’ were assisted by the Colombian Navy, the Maritime General Directorate and the National Unit for the Search of Persons of the Colombian Air Force during the operation.
An Englishman was also in the company of the Irish sailors on the disaster-stricken vessel - all of whom have yet to be identified.
Meanwhile, it is understood that a boat passing by, which didn’t have the capacity to bring the men back to shore, stood guard for them and their sinking boat as help was "19 nautical miles away and in the middle of difficult meteorological conditions."
In a video posted to the Colombian Navy’s Twitter, the men can be seen thanking emergency services for bringing them back to land safe and sound.
Following the rescue, a statement was released by authorities saying; "The ship of the Colombian Maritime Authority successfully rescued the three foreign citizens who were adrift on the high seas aboard a boat.
"The three citizens received first aid, food and hydration to guarantee their basic needs.
"For its part, the sailboat 'Pinocchio' sank and could not be rescued by the authorities.
"The rescued personnel were transported to the Santa Marta Coast Guard Station, where they were placed at the disposal of the corresponding immigration authorities."
