Mobile, Alabama

Luis Velasco was a sailor with the Colombian Navy. He and his shipmates had an eight-month tour of duty in Mobile, Alabama, where their ship was being repaired.

The Caldas

The Caldas was the Colombian naval destroyer that Luis Velasco was assigned to. During some rough conditions in the Caribbean, Luis and several other of his shipmates were swept overboard into the sea.

Cartagena, Colombia

The Caldas left Mobile, Alabama, after it had undergone repairs and headed through the Gulf of Mexico and onto the Caribbean Sea on their voyage back to their home port of Cartagena, Colombia.

The Accident

Although the sky was blue and there was no rain, the Caldas hit a stretch of very violent and chaotic waves and gale force winds in the Caribbean which caused several sailors to be swept overboard.

The Raft

Luis Velasco was the only man swept overboard...