Ponta Delgada, Portugal, Aug. 29, 2025 (Lusa) - The Portuguese Navy coordinated the rescue of 11 crew members from a fishing boat that suffered "a water ingress" off the island of São Miguel in the Azores on Thursday, it was announced on Friday.

According to a statement, the Navy coordinated the rescue through the Ponta Delgada Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC Delgada) and in conjunction with the Air Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC Lajes), following an alert received by the MRCC Delgada at 21:00 local time (plus one hour in Lisbon) on Thursday.

The alert stated that the fishing boat, with 11 crew members on board, "had taken on water while sailing about 170 nautical miles (approximately 315 kilometres) east of São Miguel".

Immediately "two Portuguese Air Force aircraft were activated to the scene, as well as a merchant ship that was in the vicinity", the note reads.

"The crew of the vessel, of Spanish and Indonesian nationality, abanded the boat using two life rafts because they were unable to contain the water inlet and drain it, and were later rescued by the merchant ship that travelled to the scene," according to the Navy.

The 11 crew members were transported to Ponta Delgada, on the island of São Miguel, by the Air Force's EH-101 Merlin helicopter, "without the need for medical assistance".

The search and rescue operation involved the MRCC Delgada, the RCC Lajes, an EH-101 helicopter and an Air Force C-295 aircraft, as well as a merchant ship.

ASR/ADB // ADB.

Lusa