A 66-year-old Spanish entrepreneur from Burgos, Juan José Moutilba Obregón—a passionate sailor and avid traveler—has been missing since Tuesday, 18 August 2026. He reportedly fell into the Ionian Sea from the sailboat he was aboard with his wife, Carmen Díez, during a voyage between Syracuse in Sicily and Pylos in Greece.
Search Efforts Continue Amid Growing Concern
Authorities are conducting active search operations across the Ionian Sea. Carmen Díez is currently safe in Pylos with their children. She has refused to return to Spain while the search for her husband continues, stating plainly: “I will not go back until he is found.”
Three Days Adrift, Alone on Board
According to their son, Sergio Moutilba, the couple had embarked on a vacation and planned the crossing from Sicily to Greece aboard their own vessel. They departed on Monday, 17 August 2026. As Sergio recounted, “Everything was fine” that day. The following morning, Juan José caught a large fish—reportedly around one ton—and while cleaning the deck of blood, he slipped and fell overboard.
Carmen, paralyzed by shock and fear, was unable to react immediately. Though she heard her husband shouting for her to shut off the engine, she froze in the moment’s intensity. While certified to operate recreational vessels, she later explained—through her son—that managing such a large sailboat under those sudden, traumatic conditions was entirely different from routine handling. The boat continued drifting away, leaving Juan José in the water.
With no mobile signal and no means of communication, Carmen remained alone aboard the vessel for three days. She had provisions but was effectively isolated—repeatedly attempting, without success, to contact emergency services. Only after three days did she manage to get a signal and alert a family friend, who immediately raised the alarm. Greek rescue authorities then located the vessel and took control of it near Pylos.
Family Appeals for Continued Search
Sergio Moutilba is now in Greece, coordinating with local authorities and urging sustained search efforts. “Even though many days have passed, we want them to keep looking—to try,” he said. He expressed deep frustration over the pace and scope of the operation, noting that—based on information available to the family—very little has been done so far. He added that responsibility for the investigation lies with Italian authorities, given the departure point, but emphasized that the family has received minimal support or clarity from either the Italian consulate or the Spanish embassy.