This footage was filmed and produced 10 February 2024.

The Salvamento Maritimo and the Civil Guard have successfully rescued the 14 sailors from the Galician fishing boat 'Maria Reina Madre' that ultimately sank while sailing off the coast of Guipuzcoa. The boat, based in Burela and flying the French flag, was fishing for hake when it activated an emergency call due to a water leak.

According to information provided by Salvamento Maritimo, at 8:57 a.m., the Coordination Center in Bilbao, under the General Directorate of the Merchant Marine, received the distress call from the French fishing vessel 'Maria Reina Madre.' The vessel was located 8.7 miles north of San Sebastian and was unable to control the water leak. The response team immediately mobilized maritime and aerial rescue assets, including the vessel Salvamar Orion and the helicopter Helimer 211. Additionally, contact was made with the nearby fishing vessel 'Castillo Anaiak.'

At 9:12 a.m., the captain of the 'Maria Reina Madre' confirmed that the 13 crew members had abandoned the fishing boat and were on the life raft. The captain remained on board until the arrival of the Salvamar Orion. The boat had a significant list to starboard and the engine room was flooded.

By 9:35 a.m., the Salvamar Orion had successfully rescued the 13 crew members who were on the life raft, all in good condition, and later also rescued the captain.

The Government Delegation in the Basque Country confirmed in a statement that later that afternoon, the boat had completely sunk in the Cantabrian Sea. Salvamento Maritimo shared this information, along with a video capturing the final moments of the sinking, on the social networking site X.

The sinking occurred at 2:31 p.m., 10 miles northwest of Hondarribia, in French territorial waters, as stated by the same source. The vessel was accompanied by the Salvamar Orion and a tug vessel from the company Facal, contracted by the owner, which unfortunately could not prevent the sinking of the fishing boat.

In July of the past year, another Galician fishing vessel, the 'Nuevo San Juan,' based in Burela, suffered a fire, and the 15 crew members were successfully rescued. The vessel caught fire in the Irish waters of the Great Sole and ultimately sank.