The morning in Cádiz began with an alarming signal: a person was spotted in the water near the Castillo de San Sebastián. A 54-year-old man piloting a motorized ultralight with a Zodiac attached suddenly lost control and ended up in the sea about half a kilometer from the shore. The water temperature and weather conditions turned the situation critical—hypothermia symptoms developed rapidly in the pilot.
At 11:00 a.m., emergency services received a call about the incident. Rescue units, including the maritime service and the harbor pilot, were dispatched to the scene. The rescue operation was complicated by the fact that the ultralight’s engine was still running, posing an additional risk to anyone approaching.
Rescue operation
As rescuers coordinated their efforts, the boat Lima Sierra arrived at the scene. The harbor pilot reached the victim first and pulled him from the water. The man was taken to Puerto América, where he received initial medical care. Doctors diagnosed him with hypothermia, but his condition was not life-threatening.
Meanwhile, a patrol team onshore was working to identify the pilot and clarify the details of his flight. The man said he had taken off from El Puerto de Santa María. Maritime service personnel and safety experts began preparing to retrieve the ultralight from the water, taking into account that a Zodiac was attached to the craft.
Technical challenges
Recovering the aircraft proved to be a challenging task. The engine was still running, making it dangerous to approach the structure. Maritime service specialists and staff from the marine doctrine school carefully planned their actions to avoid further incidents. The entire operation was overseen by the SIVE system, which provided continuous monitoring of the object until its removal.
At the same time, the Pegaso team from the Cádiz command post was checking for any violations of air traffic regulations. Special attention was paid to whether the takeoff site fell under temporary restrictions (NOTAM), as the Rota Naval Base (Base Naval de Rota) is nearby.
Inspections and consequences
After the rescue operation was completed, an investigation into all the circumstances of the incident began. The aircraft was secured and handed over for examination to the canine team of the Cádiz command post. Specialists are expected to determine whether there were any violations during preparation and execution of the flight, as well as whether the flight path met safety requirements.
As a result of the incident, no one was injured except the pilot. The rescue operation and subsequent investigation showcased the effective coordination of emergency services and the professionalism of first responders.
