Chile searches for crew of fishing boat that sank in Magallanes after 80 hours of operations

The search for the crew of the fishing boat Talymar entered its fourth day after Chilean authorities found new wreckage in the far south of Tierra del Fuego, south of the Strait of Magellan. The operation had continued for more than 80 hours by Saturday.

The Chilean Navy is coordinating the effort through the Maritime Governor's Office in Puerto Williams. Talymar disappeared early Tuesday while carrying out artisanal urchin harvesting and fishing. Local media reported that its last known position was near Gilbert and Stewart islands, about 200 kilometers south of Punta Arenas.

A drone operated by the Puerto Williams Fire Department from a Navy unit located the latest traces. The aircraft flew over areas that are difficult to reach, allowing rescuers to narrow the search for the missing crew to specific zones.

The operation began after communication with the boat was lost. Naval units, aircraft and civilian vessels have searched from Phillips Island toward Ballenero Channel and Cook Bay. Poor weather has complicated the work, while additional private boats are joining the official units operating in Sea Bay.

The Navy said its objective remains finding the Talymar crew. Authorities in Puerto Williams are staying in contact with the families of those missing. The article also recalls another fishing-boat sinking in August 2025, when four Paraguayan fishermen were involved. The Navy found one survivor after two days, including Juan Andrés Rojas Casco, who was found suffering from hypothermia among the rocks of Sea Bay.