The crew of a LPG tanker responded to a sailboat in distress that ultimately resulted in the rescue of a sailor approximately 200 miles off the coast of New Jersey last Friday.
Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay’s command center were notified by a crewmember on the tanker vessel Hellas Poseidon at 5:15 p.m. on April 10 that they overheard a distress call on VHF-FM radio channel 16. After seeing black smoke approximately two miles from their location, they steered the vessel towards the location and tlocated the disabled 25-foot sailboat Serena.
The crewmember on the Hellas Poseidon reported that there was one person aboard the Serena and that the sailing vessel was taking on water and had damaged communications following an electrical fire in heavy seas.
Due to poor weather conditions, the crew of the Hellas Poseidon could not assist the man, but agreed to stay with him until responders arrived.
Coast Guard aircrews aboard a HC-130 Hercules airplane and a MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina launched to assist the stricken sailboat.
Once on scene, the aircrew decided that the weather conditions made it too dangerous to lower a rescue swimmer and equipment directly onto the sailboat. The aircrew instructed the man to enter the water with a lifejacket and meet the rescue swimmer. The rescue swimmer quickly recovered him and they were safely hoisted onto the helicopter.
The man later reported that he was en route from North Carolina to New York and was caught in a storm that caused flooding and an electrical fire.
There were no reported injuries.
“We would like to applaud the crew of the Hellas Poseidon,” said Chief Warrant Officer Dan Capestany, command duty officer during the case. “They not only quickly reported the distress call, but were able to locate the sailboat and make sure the man was safe until we arrived. The actions of the Hellas Poseidon undoubtedly saved the man’s life. This sailor was lucky that someone heard his distress call since he was so far out in the open ocean. It demonstrates the need for proper safety equipment, amongst which are a registered EPIRB and life raft.”
Global marine fuel sales jumped in 2024 after attacks by Yemen's Houthis starting in late 2023 prompted most shipping companies to divert vessels around southern Africa rather than through the Red Sea, according to data and analysts.
Suez Canal Authority chief Osama Rabie said he expects traffic through the Egyptian waterway to gradually return to normal by late March and fully recover by mid-year, as long as the Gaza ceasefire holds up.
Liquid natural gas producers have been avoiding the Red Sea for much of 2024 amid continuous attacks by Houthi militants. This may now be changing as the first LNG carrier...
February 8, 2025
Total Views: 2674
Sign Up Now for gCaptain Daily
We’ve got your daily industry news related to the global maritime and offshore industries.
JOIN OUR CREW
Maritime and offshore news trusted by our 109,090 members delivered daily straight to your inbox.
Your Gateway to the Maritime World!
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.