Charlotte native survives sinking boat off Galapagos Islands; 4 reported dead, officials say

CHARLOTTE — It was a terrifying turn of events for a Charlotte native who was in a small boat for tourists that sank near the Galápagos Islands.

Reports are that at least four people drowned Sunday night nearly 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador.

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Jesse Tuttle shot a video from inside the boat when she and other tourists and Ecuadorians were being ferried between the Galapagos Islands.

The video shows the boat taking on water before it sank with about 40 people onboard.

“In a matter of like seconds, like, it went from ‘OK, OK, we’re bucketing out some of the water,’ to, ‘Oh, we’re going down,’” Tuttle told Channel 9.

Charlotte native survives sinking boat off Galapagos Islands; 4 reported dead, officials say

Tuttle, a Myers Park High School and UNC Chapel Hill graduate, said she was on vacation and trying to get to a main island when the boat ran out of gas and its three engines failed.

Another boat arrived with fuel, but Tuttle said it was too late.

“The waves had just gotten so, so big around us that water was sloshing in on all sides,” Tuttle said.

Tuttle anticipated that the boat would go under so she put her belongings in a plastic bag and jumped.

There were no life jackets onboard but she still tried to help others.

“There were only seat cushions floating out from the boat,” Tuttle said. “I tried my best to swim around and hand some people some more floating cushions, because there were families that were trying to hang on to one another.”

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A nearby boat maneuvered through the dark, cold water and saved about 20 people, including Tuttle.

She said the boat couldn’t fit anymore onboard, so those left behind had to float in the water until another boat arrived and rescued them. However, at least four people drowned and officials were still searching for more, according to reports.

“I just can’t imagine how it was for the people that were with their families that got separated and the people that unfortunately drowned or are missing,” Tuttle said.

Her father, Fred Tuttle, is grateful his daughter is OK.

“It’s a miracle that the boat came when it did because if the boat had sunk before they spotted where they were, there’s no way in the world they would have been found,” Fred Tuttle said.

Jesse Tuttle said she’s doing OK and she’s currently traveling to Panama, where her family has a home.