They rescue a fisherman who was lost for 3 days in the vicinity of Tayrona Park

His name is Ovidio Lesmes Otero, a 55-year-old fisherman, who was lost for 72 hours, rescued by maritime authorities 4.5 nautical miles from Taganga, in Isla Aguja, Magdalena department.

The fisherman's case caught the attention of local media in the Caribbean region, which reported that it was thanks to the collaboration of some of his fellow fishermen that the Colombian Navy placed him on the beach, near the Tayrona National Natural Park.

According to the president of the Chinchorreros Corporation of Taganga, Lesmes Otero disappeared after fishing in the low-reef sector, in the general maritime area of the Tayrona National Natural Park. The events were reported since last Thursday, April 7, 2022, before the Maritime Traffic Control Station.

Following this alert, the Navy activated the search protocols that were extended for two days while the Integrated Search and Rescue System of the Santa Marta Maritime Traffic Station was used to direct vessels to find the fisherman. Similarly, naval aircraft “combed” the area.

The result: after 43 hours of the maritime emergency, it was the members of the Santa Marta Coast Guard who placed Ovidio Lesmes Otero clinging to a rock on the high seas. The man was hydrated and later taken to the Taganga sector, where he reunited with his loved ones.

After the meeting, he was held in a health care center to verify his health.

The Colombian Navy has extended an invitation to the Samaria community and tourists to comply with maritime safety regulations, especially with the use of a life jacket. He informed that emergencies should be reported to telephone line 146 or channel 16 VHF Marino.

Tourist horseback riding is prohibited in Tayrona Park due to cases of mistreatment of horses

After tourists themselves reported cases of animal abuse and poor living conditions for horses, with them doing tourist horseback riding in Tayrona, in Santa Marta (Magdalena), the director of National Natural Parks of Colombia, Orlando Molano, announced that this activity was prohibited.

However, at the moment, of the 300 horses that were held for this activity, only 40 will remain in the area, according to what they explained on the regional digital news portal Campo Televisión. In addition, muleteers who worked with the animals will be trained to become local guides.

“We are working with horse operators, with muleteers, looking for alternatives for them to take out the horses and become tour guides. We are in the process, we have not reached an agreement, but horses are totally forbidden,” they quoted in that media the announcement of the director of National Parks.

Meanwhile, in the regional media Santa Marta al Día they reported that the ban on horseback riding also seeks to protect the ecosystem of the place, since the footsteps of horses are causing environmental damage.

On that news portal they also mentioned that they are working to reach agreements with the muleteers so that they can dedicate themselves to new tasks, but they will have to impose sanctions if there is a breach of this new provision with the equines.

“We enter into sanctions processes for all people who use or carry them. Dialogue will always be our best option, but if we do not reach agreements we will go with the legal channels”, warned the official.

Since mid-March, the poor living conditions that horses are suffering from have been reported, as visitors to the park have reported several times on social networks, as reported by one of them's complaint on La W Radio station.

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