On October 6th, 2015, the MFV (Motor Fishing Vessel) Olivia Ribau ran aground on a rocky shoal off Figueira da Foz in Portugal and quickly began sinking. The 24 meter long, 159 ton trawler was adrift in the current when it smashed into the rocks, damaging the hull. When the vessel became half submerged, the crew sent a distress signal at 7:10 pm before abandoning ship. Witnesses at the port watched the fishermen fighting for their lives just 50 meters offshore. However, it took two hours before an off-duty police officer was able to reach the vessel on a Jet Ski, and he brought three of the fishermen back to shore. Two of these men were found alive in a life raft, and another was found deceased in the water. The other four crew of the Olivia Ribau have never been found.
The family of Joaquim Comboio, who died in the the wreck, filed a lawsuit against the National Maritime Authority, claiming the agency was not properly prepared to perform a rescue, and did not respond in a timely manner. The family was seeking 250,000 Euros in damages. Public outcry put much blame on the local authorities and their lack of effectiveness with their search and rescue.
“The facts had devastating and irreversible repercussions for the family and friends. The intention is to repair all the damage caused by the death of a family man and that justice will be restored”, stated family lawyer Lusa Ricardo Serrano Vieira.
A month later, the vessel was refloated, cleaned up and towed back to the shipyard at Mondego.