Global perspective Human stories

Álvaro de Marichalar

UN Photo/Martine Perret (2008) Dili, Timor-Leste

Voyager shares “beauty and horror” witnessed on the ocean

Spanish philanthropist, Álvaro de Marichalar, has been sharing the many “beautiful and horrible” things he’s witnessed during his time at sea.

The Sports Express Foundation (SEF) member was speaking on the margins of the historic United Nations Ocean Conference on Tuesday.

Mr Marichalar hailed the strong sense of solidarity between fishermen but also the downside of human behaviour at sea, such as spilling tonnes of plastic and garbage.

He recalled seeing a turtle die from eating a plastic bag and a dolphin succumb to its scars from an illegal fishing net.