Last week, the Argentine Coast Guard rescued the crew of a tugboat that began taking on water and partially sank while towing a container barge near the coast of Buenos Aires.

On Friday, the captain of the Paraguayan-flagged tugboat Papu Mar issued a distress call, reporting that the vessel was flooding in the inner La Plata River, near the Atalaya area in the Canal Punta Indio.

All crew members safely abandoned the tugboat and boarded their barge, from where they were rescued by emergency responders. They were brought ashore for medical evaluation.

According to an official statement, the Papu Mar remains partially submerged but does not pose a navigational hazard. The barge it was towing, which carries 153 containers, remains attached to the tug. No cargo loss or damage has been reported at this time.

To monitor environmental impact, the Argentine Coast Guard continues to oversee the area, including periodic aerial patrols. A commercial tugboat named Ona Don Lorenzo is currently towing the barge out of the navigation channel to allow responders to prepare for the next steps.