Monday, June 29, 2015. BMG: According to reports, last Thursday night, well known tug boat owner, Leovijildo Varela was flung into the sea when the barge he was pulling, collided into his tugboat due to the stormy weather and rough seas. 
A search immediately ensued for Mr. Varela but up to the present moment, his body has not been found and his family have braced themselves for the worst. In an interview with the media, C.E.O of the Port of Belize, Arturo Vasquez said that the police have conducted interviews with the captain and crew members who were onboard at the time of the incident and collectively told police that the squall and rains caused the incident.
According to those who were on the vessel with Mr. Varela on Thursday night, the sea was incredibly rough, causing them to lose control of the barge and in attempts to keep the tugboat and barge from tipping over, Mr. Varela unfortunately fell overboard and has not been found.
Ensign David Ayala of the Belize Coast Guard said in an interview that the Coast Guard Headquarters received information at around 9:35 p.m indicating that a tugboat pushing a barge collided on the king pier at the Port of Belize.
The Coast Guard then deployed a vessel immediately to start with the search efforts but as of yet, Mr. Varela has not been found. Currently, the searches are ongoing.