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Accidents

Pachacamac (2014)

Contemporaneous Peruvian reports place the sinking of Pachacamac off Catarindo beach, Mollendo, on 25 December 2014 at about 15:30. Two crew members were rescued. Diario Correo described the tug returning from a ship-assistance task and suggested mechanical failure; ESYS instead dated the sinking to 26 December and attributed it to a submerged rock. Neither explanation is an official finding.

Classification

  • Incident Type: Sinking
  • Severity: High (one contemporaneous report states a fatality; a later Captaincy statement reported the crew member still missing.)

Vessel Details

FieldValue
Vessel NamePachacamac
Vessel TypeTug
Flag StateSt. Vincent and the Grenadines [VC]
IMO Number9571480
Gross Tonnage272
LOA (m)

Incident Details

FieldValue
Date2014-12-25
LocationOff Catarindo beach, Mollendo, Peru
RegionPacific Ocean
Coordinates
Fatalities
Injuries
Missing

Key facts

  • Peruvian reports dated 26 December place the accident on 25 December 2014, unlike ESYS.
  • Pachacamac sank off Catarindo beach near Mollendo, Peru.
  • Two crew members were rescued; reports conflict over the third crew member’s fate.
  • RPP attributed the search and fuel-recovery information to the Peruvian Navy captaincy.

Narrative

Contemporaneous Peruvian reports place the sinking of Pachacamac off Catarindo beach, Mollendo, on 25 December 2014 at about 15:30. Two crew members were rescued. Diario Correo described the tug returning from a ship-assistance task and suggested mechanical failure; ESYS instead dated the sinking to 26 December and attributed it to a submerged rock. Neither explanation is an official finding.

The fate of the third crew member, Sergio Sánchez Cueva, is disputed. El Comercio reported on 26 December that his body had been found that morning. RPP published later that day that a Peruvian Navy captaincy statement still described him as missing and the search as unsuccessful. RPP also reported that Tramarsa had begun recovering fuel to prevent pollution. No subsequent official account has been identified that resolves the casualty status or cause.

Sequence of events

Date/timeEvent
2014-12-25 approximately 15:30 local, reportedPachacamac sank off Catarindo; two crew members were rescued.
2014-12-26El Comercio reported a recovered body; RPP later relayed a captaincy statement saying the third crew member was still missing.

Investigation

El Comercio reported that the cause was under investigation. RPP attributed search information to the Peruvian Navy captaincy. No official accident report or later casualty-status confirmation has been recovered. Mechanical failure and submerged-rock contact remain differing reported explanations.

References

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