The Ramon Margalef - a Spanish marine-research vessel has switched its regular science work to join search efforts after recent floods. The ship (usually focused on studying sea-life) now aims to find people missing since early-november flooding
The 24-person crew prepares to use their high-tech gear including an under-water robot to scan the sea-floor: this specialized equipment might help locate vehicles swept away by flood waters. The search zone covers 36 sq kilometers of Mediterranean waters - equal to about 5000 football-fields worth of area
The ships sudden change of duties shows how Spanish authorities are using every possible resource to find missing persons. The vessels advanced scanning tools - designed for ocean research - could make a real difference in mapping the sea-bottom where cars might have ended up during the natural disaster