Spanish science ship switches role to find flood victims in Mediterranean waters

A marine research vessel changes its mission to help find missing flood victims off Spanish coast. The shipʼs high-tech equipment will scan huge underwater area where cars might have been swept away

November 8 2024 , 02:23 PM  •  2186 views

Spanish science ship switches role to find flood victims in Mediterranean waters

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