Rescue in a Gale - The Blue Ribbon of Vjesnik Award

Rene Urban from the ES base in Punat on Krk, an employee of the EmergenSea sea rescue network, along with his colleague Dragan Pajić, performed a heroic rescue of eight Czech passengers who were in distress on a sailboat near Stara Baška during a gale.

Movie scenario 

The passengers attempted to enter Senjska Vrata on their way to Novi Vinodolski when a strong gust of wind forced open the genoa, which then jammed, causing them to lose control of the sailboat. The strong wind was pushing them towards the shore, threatening the worst-case scenario.

Upon receiving the distress call from the EmergenSea Call Center in Zadar, Rene and Dragan from the Punat base on Krk reached the accident site in record time. Upon arrival, Dragan transferred to the sailboat despite extremely harsh sea conditions and took control of the sails and the vessel, which was on the verge of a wreck. After taking the sailboat in tow, the drama slowly turned into a happy ending, and the passengers were safely brought to the marina in Novi.

Plava Vrpca Vjesnika Award 

For this remarkable feat, Rene Urban and Dragan Pajić were nominated for the Blue Ribbon of Vjesnik Award in 2021. Amidst stiff competition, they deservedly won this prestigious award, recognizing their brave act of rescue by the wider public.