The Penelope has sunk on Wednesday January 5 at the port of Eagles. Photo: Lacronicadelpajarito.es

The vigil of the day of the Epiphany was sunk in the Port of Eagles a sailboat more than 30 meters long that had been abandoned for 11 years. This was the chronicle of an announced death, since the abandonment of this vessel was already denounced by different groups such as the Pescadores' Brotherhood, which recalls that it has been "more than ten years informing the port authorities of a situation that was seen to come and unfortunately have not acted at any time." This ship was already decontaminated two years ago and in 2013 already suffered a gas leak and a semi-sinking.

The notice was given by Sasemar, who mobilized his ship from Salvamento Salvamar Mimosa based in the port of Cartagena with divers and equipment to combat marine pollution, as well as a truck, while Red Cross sent his ship LS Titania, with whom civil protection and local police collaborate.

According to the City of Águilas, the Penelope sailboat was "in a complicated legal situation" and will require for its extraction from the bottom of the port the use of two large cranes.

The State is the 'responsible'

Gaucher Global recalls that nautical legislation does not make it clear who or how responsibility should be assumed in the case of the abandonment of a boat in a port. The Consolidated Text of the Law on State Ports and the Merchant Navy, which was formalized by a Royal Decree on 5 September 2011, states in its article 302 that the State is responsible for the ownership of abandoned ships in the port service area. That said, most of these land is granted, which directly affects the owners of the marine.