Atlantic: UK Yacht in Trouble – Crew Rescued using AMVER System
U.S. Coast Guard personnel coordinated the rescue of two British mariners 598 miles off the coast of Bermuda on Friday (May 1) using the Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System. Their 39 foot sailboat was abandoned with navigation lights on and AIS activated.
Published 5 years ago
- Photo from USCG
U.S. Coast Guard personnel coordinated the rescue of two British mariners 598 miles off the coast of Bermuda on Friday (May 1) using the Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System.
“Watchstanders at the Fifth Coast Guard District command center received the initial call from the Rescue Coordination Center United Kingdom on Wednesday at 7:43 a.m., who reported that a 39-foot sailboat had become disabled due to a non-functional steering box with two persons aboard,” the U.S. Coast Guard said.
“The Fifth District command center activated the AMVER System to alert vessels in the area to the emergent situation and request assistance from them. The motor vessel Torm Laura answered the call and diverted to the disabled sailing vessel on Thursday, but was unable to enact a rescue due to the heavy seas, and eventually departed from the scene.
“On Friday morning, two additional AMVER vessels arrived on scene: the tanker vessel Magellan Spirit and the motor vessel Ethane Sapphire. The Ethane Sapphire acted as a wind barricade for the Magellan Spirit to launch a small boat and safely recover and transfer the two British mariners onto the tanker vessel. The Magellan Spirit and the two British mariners are now en route to Spain.
“The vessel was left adrift with navigation lights on and the Automatic Identification System activated so the vessel will be able to be tracked for any future recovery operations.”
“When a mariner is experiencing an emergency far offshore, it can be unrealistic to get a Coast Guard asset to the scene quickly,” said Lt. Daniel Dunn, command duty officer at the Fifth Coast Guard District command center. “The AMVER System allows us to coordinate a rescue utilizing nearby vessels willing to help.”
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Related to following destinations: Bermuda, United Kingdom
Related to the following Cruising Resources: Atlantic Crossing, Incident Reports, Routing, Safety, Safety and Medical
I would never leave my Sailboat just the because the steering Box would not work. There are other ways to help steer at least a bit, especially if there are still sails to be usable. I bougth for this and other reasons a Windfane and I have a small but strong stainless steel Emergency Rudder. My intentions are to go Blue Water Cruising away from crowded Marinas and such. The negative in my Boat is, that I am loaded, lose some Speed, BUT we are prepard for many Troubels. Others seem to rely very fast for Help from 3rd-Parties. And if the Boat is abandoned, you may lose it all. But then again, not every one has in those time and day the Eye to visualize Troubles and prepare AHEAD for such.