Portuguese 
The boat left Itarema for a trip expected to last about 30 days, but a propulsion failure left the vessel adrift; the operation mobilized the Navy, the Brazilian Air Force, and dozens of boats
Six fishermen who set out from Itarema, on the west coast of Ceará, for a fishing trip expected to last approximately 30 days spent a week unable to maintain contact with land after the boat S.E. Pescados experienced a failure and drifted.
The group departed on August 17. The last known contact occurred ten days later on August 27, triggering a search and rescue operation that concluded with the six men being found alive on September 3.
The location was directly aided by an aircraft SC-105 Amazonas from the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), equipped with an infrared system capable of assisting in searches even in conditions of darkness or low visibility.
-
Two Workers Trapped for 9 Days in a Dark Hydroelectric Tunnel in Nepal Rescued Alive by Army; One Asks, ‘What Day Is It?’
-
Tallest Dog in the World, Kevin the Great Dane, Becomes a Celebrity in the U.S. Before Passing Away 6 Days After Breaking Guinness Record
-
Businessman Transforms from Office Boy to Factory Owner, Capitalizing on Solar Energy Boom, with Revenue Surging from R$20 Million to R$150 Million
-
U.S. Updates Travel Advisory for Brazil Due to Crime and Kidnappings, Maintains Level 2 Caution, Advises Against Travel to Favelas and Border Areas
A 30-day fishing trip turned into seven days adrift
The S.E. Pescados left Itarema stocked to remain at sea for approximately one month. The vessel was carrying six crew members and was conducting its fishing activity normally until it lost communication with the operation leader.
According to information released by Diário do Nordeste, one of the fishermen later reported that the issue began with the engine, which had come into contact with water. The master of the boat attempted to get the equipment functioning again but was unsuccessful.
Without normal propulsion and without communication, the fishermen remained inside the vessel for seven days.
The fact that the boat was prepared for a long journey proved to be important at that moment. There were enough provisions for about 30 days, which prevented a lack of food from becoming another immediate problem during their time adrift.
The challenge then became another: to make someone realize where they were.
Fishermen burned objects at night to try to attract attention
While search teams were trying to locate the boat, the fishermen themselves improvised ways to call for help.
Marciel dos Santos Souza, one of the crew members, reported to his family that the group burned objects at night in an attempt to create signals that could be noticed by other vessels or aircraft.
After several days without contact, the expectation of being found had diminished. According to the account shared by the family, the men had begun to believe that perhaps rescue would not happen.
The situation changed when they heard the sound of an aircraft.
Upon realizing that a plane was approaching, the fishermen used the signals available on the boat to indicate their position.
It was the SC-105 Amazonas of the Pelicano Squadron, a unit specialized in search and rescue missions of the FAB. The aircraft had been deployed during the operation coordinated by Brazilian forces.
The FAB aircraft used infrared to search for the boat even in the dark
One of the most important elements of the search was the technological capability of the aircraft used by the Brazilian Air Force.
The aircraft is equipped with an infrared system capable of detecting temperature differences and producing images even in low or no light conditions.
In practice, this type of resource allows a search crew to continue looking for targets at sea when normal human vision faces significant limitations.
In a maritime operation, this makes a difference. A relatively small boat can become extremely difficult to visually identify in a vast ocean area, especially at night.
Diário do Nordeste reported that the infrared technology assisted in locating the vessel during the operation.
The SC-105 located the group approximately 480 kilometers north of Fortaleza and about 500 kilometers from São Luís, according to information released later by the news outlet.
Navy mobilized patrol vessel and 26 other boats
The search was not limited to the Air Force.
The operation was coordinated by SALVAMAR Nordeste, the Navy’s structure responsible for maritime search and rescue operations in the region.
The Navy deployed the Patrol Vessel Araguari, teams from the Port Authority, and also mobilized the local maritime community.
During the search, 26 vessels were contacted to assist with communication attempts, area surveillance, and gathering information about the whereabouts of the S.E. Pescados.
This detail illustrates the scope of a maritime search of this kind: locating a vessel without communication across hundreds of kilometers of ocean relies as much on sensors and aircraft as on creating a network of observation at sea.
Ship reached the boat and confirmed that all six were alive and in good condition
After the position of the S.E. Pescados was identified, the Patrol Vessel Araguari was able to reach the stranded boat.
Around 11 PM on Thursday, September 3, a medical evaluation was conducted on the six crew members.
All were in good health.
The confirmation ended a week of uncertainty for their families.
After being located, the fishermen also gained access to the internet and were finally able to contact their relatives to inform them that they were alive.
The boat, however, remained unable to navigate normally due to a failure in its propulsion system.
The Araguari stayed nearby providing support while a vessel arranged by the owner was awaited to tow the fishing boat back to its port of origin.
The journey, which was supposed to last about a month, became marked not by fishing, but by seven days adrift, a major search operation, and the arrival of an aircraft capable of searching in the dark, where the fishermen themselves no longer knew if anyone was still looking for them.
After a week adrift, unable to maintain contact with the shore and relying on a large search operation involving a Brazilian Air Force aircraft, a Navy ship, and support from other vessels, the six fishermen were finally found alive at sea. In your opinion, what stands out most about this rescue: the fishermen’s resilience during their days at sea or the use of technology and the structure of the Armed Forces to locate them during the night?
