Sailboat carrying seven children found drifting in the Mar Menor in the dead of night
The vessel had lost all battery power, leaving it without lights, engine or any way to contact the Murcia rescue services
A sailboat carrying nine people, seven of them children, had to be rescued by the Guardia Civil after losing power and drifting through the Mar Menor in the middle of the night.
Officers from the Maritime Service of the Guardia Civil in the Region of Murcia were carrying out routine surveillance when they spotted the boat moving erratically at very low speed, with no navigation lights on despite the poor visibility. Something clearly wasn't right, so the patrol boat moved in to take a closer look.
As they approached, officers found the two adults on board in an obvious state of distress, with seven children also on the vessel. The crew explained that the boat's batteries had died completely, leaving them unable to start the engine, switch on the navigation lights or even use their communication equipment to call for help.
With no way of getting themselves back to shore safely, the Guardia Civil patrol boat towed the sailboat back to its home port.
According to the Maritime Service, situations like this are far from unusual at this time of year. Officers are urging boat owners to check battery levels thoroughly before heading out, and to keep an eye on what's draining power even when the boat isn't moving, whether that's deck lighting or other devices plugged in on board, such as electric stoves.
Image: Guardia Civil
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CasaRio Atalaya 8 Cabo de Palos Cartagena 30370Mobile: 0034 693 934 381
La Manga Adventure Golf for a perfect family day out in the Mar Menor.
La Manga Adventure Golf is open from 10.30am... Last tee-off time: 8pm.
Their famous Full English Breakfasts will continue to be served from 10.30am until 1.00pm. Reserving your Tee-off time is still requested please.Call or WhatsApp directly on 0034 693 934 381 to reserve your start time.
Located just behind Playa Honda near to Cabo de Palos and La Manga, with easy access from the RM-12.
La Manga Adventure Golf is a fun and leisure complex located just a short drive from the La Manga Club resort and the southern end of the Mar Menor, close to the beach resorts of Playa Honda and Playa Paraíso, the La Manga camping park and Cabo de Palos.
The complex offers a fun day out for families, couples and visitors of all ages close to the beaches of the Mar Menor and the Mediterranean.
The stand-out attraction at La Manga Adventure Golf is the fun and immaculately maintained mini-golf course, which provides a challenge both for experienced golfers and for those who have never played before. However, other facilities include full-size snooker tables, a pool table, a dart board, table football and table tennis tables, and the bar-lounge offers a range of meals and refreshments from ice-creams for the youngsters to champagne for those celebrating a special occasion!
This is a popular venue not only for families with children but also for groups of friends and couples looking for an entertaining day out, and events such as birthdays, anniversaries and parties can be also be catered for.
The Family Adventure Golf course opens all year round from 10.30 in the morning until after dark and rounds are affordably priced at just 11 euros for adults and 6 euros for children, although many take advantage of the highly recommended Golf Meal Deal. This is available at 19 euros for adults and 12 euros for children, with special rates on offer for groups of over 10, and large groups including golf societies are welcome!
The Meal Deal choices include prime Icelandic cod and chips, Irish burger and chips, curry of the day, lasagne and the healthy tuna salad option (with a choice of dressings) as well as the traditional British ploughman’s lunch. Vegetarian burgers, lasagne and curry are also on the menu, while those arriving earlier in the day are often tempted by the full English breakfast and breakfast baps (on sale until 13.00) as they enjoy the light refreshing breeze on the outdoor terraces or the shade in the large indoor area, where major sports events are shown live on TV.
La Manga Adventure Golf also offers full access for the disabled to both the bar and the toilets and a large private off-road car park ensures there is no added inconvenience for less mobile visitors.
