He owns one of the largest bus lines in the north, but, yesterday evening, Rudy Morales was on the sea when he lost his life. The 41 year old bus owner's boat went under at the mouth of the New River - at the entrance to Corozal Bay. He and four friends and relatives were on a fishing trip. And tonight, we can confirm that his body was found this evening near Cerros - about a mile away from where the boat capsized.
Our 7News team was in the area all day and Jules Vasquez has this report from when the search was ongoing - and his body had not yet been found:..
Jules Vasquez reporting
41 YEAR OLD Rudy Morales was on this Lone Star 4 Seater 15 foot boat along with four others at the mouth of the New River yesterday at 5:00 pm.
That's where waters get choppy, and there was already a small craft warning. And, so, perhaps predictably, the small boat - which Morales had just bought a month ago - started to take on water.
And, so, perhaps predictably, the small boat - which Morales had just bought a month ago - started to take on water.
Reporter
"Did the boat take on water? Was it because the sea rough?"
Voice of: Nilver Patt
"The sea was rough and the waves were slaming at the back of the boat that made the water go inside."
That's the voice of his cousin, 28 YEAR old Nilvert Patt who was one of the men on board. He jumped into the water, swam for safety- and watched helplessly as his cousin went under.
Nilvert Patt
"We reached at the river mouth, we made it there in less than 5 minutes when the boat sank."
Reporter
"The water was rough?"
Nilvert Patt
"It was kinda rough yes."
Reporter
"So when it sank how far were you all from the river bank or the shore and how were 4 of you were able to save yourselves?"
Nilvert Patt - Cousin
"It was about 35 yards, well when we saw the water coming in, we just throw out our self because we all got frightened so we just swam to the side."
Reporter
"But Mr. Morales..."
Nilvert Patt - Cousin
"Yes unfortunately he did not make it."
Reporter
"How hard was it for you to save yourself in the rough waters, I know the river mouth has a lot of currents and is very choppy."
Nilvert Patt - Cousin
"I was the first one to jump off the boat. I just swam about 3 yards and I thought I was going to drown. I got strength, I don't know from where, my mind just went to my kids, I know my life was [] and i did my best and I reached first."
Reporter
"Did you see Mr. Morales go down?"
Nilvert Patt - Cousin
"Yes I did, it was so hard for me because he's my family."
Reporter
"There was nothing you could do."
And that's the grief stricken certainty with which dozens of well-wishers came to the Morales family home in Concepcion, Corozal with today. The relatively young man whose busses had become one of the major transit providers in the north is missing at sea, feared dead.
Today we saw the Coast Guard boats on the New River at the Pueblo Nuevo ferry -
and hours later on the sea at the Town pier.
They were traversing between the river's mouth and the sea, but divers hadn't found anything.
Leaving everyone here with a sense of despair:
Nilvert Patt - Cousin
"I cried a lot with my family because this is not planned, this just happened and I went home about 2 o clock. I tried to sleep and I couldn't sleep. If I have 15 minutes left to sleep, it's a lot."
Morales was the father of two girls.
Again, since we left the north - Morales's body was found near Cerros. But, the seas are rough right now and retrieval is a little complicated. The Coast Guard has had to send for a smaller boat to get into the shallows. The recover operation is still on going.
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