Buenos Aires

Eight people have died after a fishing boat capsized near the Malvinas Islands, also known as the Falkland Islands. This area is claimed by Argentina but governed by Britain. The boat, which was searching for toothfish, sank due to a hull breach, according to source.

Initially, three crew members were reported dead. Rescue operations were underway for the remaining 27 people, including 10 Spanish nationals who were scattered in life rafts. Later, the number of confirmed deaths rose to eight, with 14 people rescued.

The vessel, flagged by Saint Helena Island (a British Overseas Territory), sent a distress signal when it was about 200 nautical miles southeast of Puerto Argentino, in the Malvinas Islands. The Argentine Navy stated that bad weather led to water entering the boat, forcing the crew to abandon ship and use life rafts. At the time of the incident, there were winds of up to 70 knots and waves as high as eight meters.

The fishing boat carried 25 crew members and two scientific observers, including eight Russians, two Uruguayans, two Peruvians, and five Indonesians.