Spanish businessman missing after falling from yacht near Italy

Spanish businessman Juan José Mutilba, 66, remains missing after falling from his yacht on August 18 while sailing between Sicily and Greece. His wife, Carmen, spent three days adrift before raising the alarm; the search, coordinated by Italian authorities, continues but the family says they receive almost no information Source: El País.

What happened

Mutilba and his wife set sail from Siracusa, Sicily, on Monday, heading to Pylos, Greece. On Tuesday morning, he slipped on blood from a freshly caught tuna and fell overboard. His wife, who holds a recreational skipper license, could not stop the catamaran and drifted for three days without phone coverage. On Friday, she contacted a family friend, who alerted Spanish maritime rescue, which then notified Italian and Greek authorities Source: ABC. Greek coast guard located the vessel about 18 nautical miles from Pylos and towed it to port; the wife was safe Source: Euronews.

The reaction

The family, gathered in Pylos, criticizes the lack of updates from Italian authorities. "We don't know what's being done," says son Sergio, adding that they only get information through boat captains who told them Italy deployed a helicopter and three boats Source: El Mundo. They have asked Spain's Interior Ministry to intervene to keep the search active. Carmen refuses to return to Spain until her husband is found, repeating, "Hasta que no esté papi no quiero volver" Source: El Mundo. She is receiving psychological support and reportedly feels guilt for not reacting faster Source: El Español.

What's next

The family plans to travel to Italy to press for continued efforts. The Greek port authority has opened a preliminary investigation Source: Euronews. Meanwhile, the search continues, though the family fears it may be suspended without finding Mutilba Source: Infobae.