GARCIA DEL CID

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Woman who went missing had single cabin

The Government justified that the woman missing from the 'Garcia del Cio' had a single cabin, and the accused was not present. This was stated by the Executive in a parliamentary response after being asked by Podemos about who made the decision that a woman had to work with her attacker, and what responsibilities were going to be assumed in this regard. The Government recalled that the aforementioned complaint of sexual harassment took place in 2019 and added that when, in 2020, the Prosecutor's Office determined the dismissal of the criminal case,it did so because the complainant and the person she reported signed an agreement in which both explained that it had been a misunderstanding. Among other things, the agreement admitted the possibility of matching the minimum essentials with the occasion of her work activity and the complainant was also provided with an individual cabin. The Executive specified that the ship has its own agreement, with its own working conditions (salaries, permits, vacations, professional categories, etc.) but it did not include mobility of workers who were subject to this agreement. "When the missing person boarded, she did so because she had all the required reports: employment registration, certificate from the Social Institute of the Navy (ISM) and medical examination of fitness for boarding. A failure to board would imply not allowing the worker to carry out her job, counting with all the aptitude requirements. When the disappearance occurred, the person initially reported was not part of the ship's role, so he was not present when she set sail. During the entire procedure the CSIC has acted in accordance with current regulations. The Government indicated that the CSIC had carried out its own internal investigation of the events. The organization considered training in gender equality and prevention of sexual and sex-based harassment as one of the basic pillars for its prevention. Regarding the protocols for cases of sexual harassment of the CSIC, it clarified that on ships, in particular, in addition to systematically authorizing all requests for training on the subject given within the training plan of the research organization that are requested by the staff on-board or shore-based support for the activity of the fleet's vessels, numerous specific activities are carried out for the prevention, detection and treatment of incidents of any type. Finally, it highlights that in the CSIC, between 2019 and 2023, there were 12 formal complaints and 12 activations of the protocol, seven were admitted for processing and disciplinary proceedings were opened in five cases, and in three of them sanctions were applied. Cases that did not fall within the scope of application of the protocol were also monitored.

Provisional dismissal order in the case investigating the disappearance of Carmen Fernández

The head of the Investigative Court number 3 of Gandía, Amparo Tur Escrivá, has issued a provisional dismissal order in the case investigating the disappearance of Carmen Fernández, the 43-year-old woman from Cangas who worked aboard the 'García del Cid', assigned to the fleet of the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), about which nothing has been heard since September 2023. Carmen Fernández had denounced one of the ship's crew for harassment and therefore requested the CSIC, dependent on the Ministry of Science, for a transfer so that she would not have to coincide with him. According to family defense sources, the anti-harassment protocols were not executed and the woman did have contact with the man before setting sail from the port of Valencia. Her lawyer, Diego Leis, has confirmed that they will appeal the dismissal of the case before the Provincial Court of Valencia.

Family complains about unknown proceedings in case of missing woman

More than a month since Mª Carmen Fernández Vázquez, the 43 years old waitress of the 'Garcia del Cid', a resident of Bueu (Pontevedra), went missing while the ship was carrying out an oceanographic campaign within a European project coordinated by the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM) of the CSIC in Barcelona, there are still many unknowns surrounding this fatal event. Her family requested not to cease the search for the woman, while the causes of her disappearance be clarified. The family or their legal representation have not yet been informed of the investigation proceedings carried out by the Civil Guard. After having gone through the Courts of Valencia, the matter has been referred to those of Gandía, without to date the competent Court is known, nor has there been access to the file, claim the victim's relatives' lawyer, Diego Leis. Furthermore, they regret not having any information about the search device, since they did not even know if it is still active or not, nor has any type of communication been received from the CSIC, nor from the Ministry on which it depends, ignoring the possible internal actions that are being carried out to clarify responsibilities. Mª del Carmen's relatives have also criticized the lack of information and support from the CSIC after the disappearance of their employee, who has left three minor children and a husband. The emergency services learned of the disappearance of the crew member on Sep 10, at around 8a.m., and the last time she was seen by a member of the crew was in the night of Sep 9.. There are several unknowns that have worried the family since, in her first statements, they assured that she was in good spirits when she boarded the ship, although her attitude suddenly changed in the night of Sep 9. Investigators have also tried to clarify whether a sexual harassment complaint, that the woman had filed against a fellow crew member in 2019, could be related to the events. Although the family has assured that the accused man did not embark on this mission, they pointed out that she was able to see him the days before her departure while the ship was docked in Barcelona. At the moment, the result of the investigation carried out by the Valencia Civil Guard was unknown.