Peru’s Navy rescues dozens of fishermen stranded at sea as giant waves pound shore

TUMBES, Peru (AP) — Peru’s Navy says it has rescued about 30 fishermen who had been stranded for two days at sea as giant waves pounded the country’s northern coast. Many of them had struggled to bring their boats back to Acapulco beach in the Tumbes region.

Jaime Yacila, the mayor of the province of Contralmirante Villar, which lies in the Tumbes region 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) north of capital Lima, said Saturday that some fishermen could not wait any longer to be rescued at sea, which accelerated the operation.

“They (the fisherman) did not want to lose their boats,” Yacila told reporters. Many boats capsized due to the waves, which also forced the closing of several ports in the region, according to authorities.

Defense Minister Walter Astudillo followed rescue operations from a helicopter flying over the affected area.