Chilean Navy receives international award for rescue of "Explorer" vessel

SANTIAGO.- The Chilean Navy was presented with the "Courage at Sea" award due to the prompt and effective rescue staged by the Search and Rescue Service during the emergency involving the "Explorer" passenger ship, which sank in the waters of Antarctica on November 22nd of 2007.

The reward, which was presented to the Chilean Navy for the first time, was received on behalf of the Armed Forces by the Director of Safety and Maritime Operations, Lieutenant Admiral Juan Pablo Heusser Risopatrón.

The distinction recognizes those who, while risking their own lives, perform acts of extreme courage in order to rescue people in danger or to prevent environmental catastrophes at sea.

While there were also other nations involved the incident involving the "Explorer" passenger ship, Chile was the country in charge of coordinating efforts of all those who participated in the rescue. The operation managed to successfully save all 154 passengers while also preventing any contamination that may have been caused by the vessel's collision with an iceberg, which eventually caused the ship to sink.