Six days after disappearing in the waters of the Pacific Ocean, Oaxacan fisherman Héctor Márquez Martínez has been found alive. The man, a resident of Puerto Ángel, had set out to fish on Monday, August 31 aboard his small boat, 'Josmarcito', and since then his family had not heard from him.
Márquez's absence sparked a wide mobilization among family members, fishermen, and emergency teams. Normally, the fisherman would head out to sea around 6:00 a.m. and return to Puerto Ángel between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m. However, that morning passed without the boat returning to port.
With no news, his family began to fear that he may have encountered problems during the day. His father, Héctor Gabino Márquez Reyes, pointed out possible causes such as his son losing his way due to weather conditions or experiencing engine trouble on the boat.
The search began with the participation of fishermen from Puerto Ángel and later expanded to other locations, including Mazunte and San Agustín. Volunteers, family members, a plane provided by the Government, and a naval patrol joined the efforts, while the Secretaría de Marina (Semar) was involved in the operation.
For almost a week, uncertainty lingered among the residents of Puerto Ángel. The family even resorted to seeking help through social media to gather fuel and supplies for the fishermen assisting in the search.
Hope returned on Sunday, September 6, when a cargo ship spotted Márquez Martínez in open waters. The fisherman was aboard his boat tens of nautical miles from the coast and near Salina Cruz, in the region of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.
The cargo ship offered assistance, but Márquez chose to stay with his vessel. After his location was known, family members and fishermen received satellite coordinates to reach him. Three boats departed that same afternoon from Puerto Ángel to meet the fisherman and bring him back to solid ground.