The sailboat that has been marooned upon the shores of San Pedro Alcántara beach for some weeks, located just in front of Nuevo Reino, is facing a unique recovery process due to its compromised hull. Following the initial seven-day deadline, which called upon the vessel’s proprietor to effect its removal, Marbella Town Hall has issued a secondary appeal to the skipper, urging them to undertake the responsibility of relocating the boat.
Owing to the state of the hull, a sea-based retrieval is not feasible.
Stationed within the vicinity of the Nuevo Reino beach bar for over a few weeks, the sailboat’s owner has proven elusive. Marbella’s local authorities have strived to establish ownership and prompt the skipper to address the matter.
Following the lapsed period of the initial notice of seven days—the Town Hall has reiterated their call for the vessel’s removal within a condensed three-day window.
Municipal technicians, in collaboration with a specialised firm, have evaluated the scene. The sailboat’s interior holds a significant volume of water, indicating hull impairment. The existence of multiple points of water ingress cancels out the option of towing it seaward, as this course of action would result in submersion, leading to an even worse situation.
Consequently, the formulation of a ‘refloating plan,’ obligatory for securing the Capitanía Marítima’s endorsement for a sea-based rescue, remains unattainable.
As a result, the town council has outlined an alternative strategy: employing heavy machinery to transport the vessel over land and subsequently situating it within a dry marina. Detailed in the notice sent to the sailboat’s proprietor, failure to execute the removal within the stipulated period (three days) will prompt the council to initiate the procedure themselves, which may even involve scrapping the vessel. All resultant expenses will be transferred to the proprietor.
According to various sources, the boat’s skipper is identified as an elderly foreign gentleman who encountered an unforeseen easterly storm, leading to loss of control while navigating the vicinity. The owner has refrained from engaging with media enquiries.
Local residents and visitors have established social media groups to extend support to the skipper’s cause, advocating for the boat’s relocation.
Additionally, a crowdfunding campaign has been instigated to amass funds necessary for the estimated 8,000 euros required to extricate the boat from San Pedro beach.