Stolt Tanker Rescues Distressed Sailors After Whale Strike in Atlantic

On May 10 a Stolt tanker participating in the USCG’s Amver program was diverted while in the Atlantic Ocean to rescue two distressed sailors whose small sailboat was taking on water after being struck by a whale and capsizing.

From Amver Blog:

Rescue personnel in Falmouth requested Amver information from the U.S. Coast Guard. The tanker Stolt Invitation was identified and requested to divert and assist. The Stolt Invitation arrived on scene and the crew worked to recover the two sailors. The survivors were treated for mild hypothermia and accompanied the ship to New York. Personnel from the Finnish Consulate met the sailors when they arrived in New York and the crew of the Stolt Invitation were presented with a certificate of appreciation from the Amver office.

Here’s a video of the rescue:

An interesting (and rather amazing) statistic about Amver? Every 33 hours, an Amver participating ship saves a life somewhere in the world. Find out how you can enroll in Amver and help ensure no call for help goes unanswered.

Remember, whale strikes can go both ways. Check out this amazing photo of a similar incident in 2010, this one thankfully just off the coast of Capetown.