The wooden fishing boat 'El Terrible', which was used for purse seine fishing, has been removed from the water in the port of Xàbia. After being refloated, the vessel is now ashore, next to the fishermen's premises, awaiting its final dismantling. The boat had been abandoned for five years and was occupied, accumulating a large amount of trash.
A large crane placed the boat in the area, prompting ironic comments from local fishermen, who now call it a "new monument". Its traditional fishing boat design, made of tarred wood with a slightly bulbous and arched hull, can still be seen, but abandonment and occupation have led it to a tragic end: the scrapyard.
This shipwreck is part of a broader issue of a lack of generational renewal in the fishing sector. New generations, despite feeling pride in their family's seafaring tradition, are opting for less demanding professions.
The port of Xàbia has seen other similar cases, such as a sailboat that has been stranded for over a year and will be removed soon. The situation of 'El Terrible' highlights the deterioration of abandoned vessels and the logistical challenges for their removal.
