On August 22, 1993, the llaüt 'Moisés II' was run over by the yacht 'First' off ses Salines, causing the death of two fishermen from Campos: Miguel Forteza and Gabriel Vanrell.
The calm sea on that August 22, 1993, off the cape of ses Salines did not foreshadow the tragedy. The llaüt Moisés II, measuring only seven meters in length, was fishing with two local men on board when the French yacht First, measuring 24 meters, struck them at 18 knots. The impact was instant and fatal.
The bodies of Miguel Forteza Pomar, aged 69, and Gabriel Vanrell Ginard, 'Biel Paisarell', aged 77, were recovered shortly after. There was no possibility of rescue. The news spread like wildfire through Campos, a town that lost two of its most beloved fishermen.
The judicial investigation and the autopilot
The Court of Instruction number 2 in Manacor immediately opened proceedings. The captain of the First, the French citizen Antoine Eugène Faure Cabora, aged 46, stated that he had not seen the llaüt before the collision. According to reports from the Military Command of the Navy, the yacht was sailing with the autopilot engaged and at a speed close to 18 knots.
The judge imposed a bail of 100 million pesetas (about 600,000 euros today) on the captain, a significant amount to ensure civil liabilities. The occupants of the yacht agreed that no one had noticed the presence of the llaüt, raising doubts about the vigilance on board.
The mourning in Campos and the debate on navigation
The funeral for the victims was well attended. Hundreds of locals filled the church in Campos to bid farewell to two men who represented the maritime tradition of the municipality. The shock was such that the accident sparked a debate about the coexistence between artisanal llaüts and the large recreational yachts that proliferated along the Balearic coast.
The tragedy highlighted the vulnerability of small vessels against larger boats sailing at high speeds near the coast. Three decades later, in Campos, that event is remembered as an open wound in the collective memory.
For the people of Campos, August 22 remains a significant date. The sea, which has so often provided them with sustenance, took away two of their own in an instant. The story of the Moisés II and the First serves as a reminder that safety at sea does not allow for distractions.
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