A Spanish marine research vessel usually dedicated to studying ocean ecosystems has pivoted to a critical new mission: aiding search efforts for hundreds missing after catastrophic floods devastated parts of Spain. 🌍🔍
The Ramon Margalef — equipped with high-tech sensors and a submersible robot — is scanning a 36-square-kilometer stretch of the Mediterranean Sea (roughly 5,000 soccer fields!). Its crew hopes to locate vehicles swept offshore during last week’s deadly floods, which have claimed over 200 lives. 🚗⚡
With nearly 100 people still officially missing (and authorities warning the toll could rise), the ship’s advanced tech might help families find closure. 💔 ‘It’s like swapping a lab coat for a rescue uniform,’ one crew member said. ‘Every vehicle we find could answer someone’s prayers.’
As Spain mourns, this science-to-rescue pivot highlights how crises can unite communities — and tech — for humanity. 💙🤝
