Esteiro
On September 9, the 38 meter long fishing vessel Esteiro caught fire off Bahia Blanca, Argentina. The fire ignited in the stern of the trawler and quickly grew out of control. The crew attempted to put out the blaze, but the fire quickly engulfed the Esteiro. The vessel sent out a distress call with the nearby fishing vessel Atrevido coming to their aid. All 17 crew of the Esteiro were evacuated safely to the Atrevido. The fire consumed the vessel’s superstructure before fire fighting vessels could arrive on scene.
A patrol boat did attempt to extinguish the blaze, but the Esteiro superstructure was so badly damaged the vessel suffered water ingress and developed a list to starboard. The Esteiro eventually sank before it could be taken under tow back to port. No reports of injuries.
