Survivor recounts dramatic San Andrés sea accident that killed mother and daughter

A survivor has detailed the terrifying experience of a maritime accident in San Andrés that resulted in the deaths of a mother and her daughter.

Kevin Youry González Aponte, son of one of the deceased and grandson of the other, described the suddenness of the tragedy. While on a tourist outing on the island, their small boat was struck at high speed by a larger vessel, splitting their craft in half. The impact threw most passengers into the water.

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We were eight minutes from the dock we had left at 10:00 in the morning, after an unforgettable tour, when suddenly a boat at very high speed rammed us, split our vessel in two, and continued as if nothing had happened.

"The only one left on the piece of the boat was me; everyone else fell into the water, including my grandmother and mother, who died from the impact," González Aponte recounted to EL TIEMPO.

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The only one left on the piece of the boat was me; everyone else fell into the water, including my grandmother and mother, who died from the impact.

He described the scene as chaos and panic. He saw his grandmother floating and bleeding from her head, while his brother struggled to stay afloat. He desperately searched for his mother, receiving word from another boat that she had been taken to shore, offering a brief, false sense of relief.

The family had planned and saved for this trip for over a year and a half. They had enjoyed their day exploring the island, visiting attractions like the aquarium and Rocky Cay, before the fatal collision occurred as they were returning to the dock.

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I saw my grandmother floating and bleeding from her head; I didn't know what to do. I saw my wife clinging to a rope and my brother Juan Sebastián, 17, trying not to sink, but I didn't see my mother.