(5MinNewsBreak.com) – Marking a successful end to a complex multi-day rescue operation worsened by severe weather conditions, the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy managed to save several lives.
The harrowing incident happened recently near Hawaii, where a 47-year-old woman, her seven-year-old daughter and their pets were stranded on a disabled sailboat.
The rescue operation kicked off when the Coast Guard’s Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) in Honolulu picked up a distress signal at about 12:33 p.m. on Saturday.
The signal came from the Albroc, a sailboat under the French flag, located roughly 925 miles east of Honolulu.
A Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules airplane was first to arrive, spotting the sailboat and receiving a mayday call.
The woman on board reported dire conditions: she and her daughter were facing harsh weather, and there was a dead man on the vessel. They needed immediate help.
The Coast Guard saw the sailboat struggling in 6-foot seas with 20 mph winds, as they observed the woman firing off flares and the boat taking on water.
To assist in the rescue, JRCC Honolulu called on the U.S. Navy’s Pacific and 3rd Fleets.
Navy destroyer USS William P. Lawrence was dispatched along with the Singapore-flagged gas tanker Seri Emperor.
A second Hercules crew arrived on Sunday at 9 a.m., witnessing the woman and her daughter signaling for help before retreating inside the cabin.
Despite efforts, a communication line could not be established.
The Seri Emperor reached the sailboat by 5:20 p.m. but could not perform the rescue due to the approaching Hurricane Gilma.
Early Monday morning, the USS William P. Lawrence reached the scene, taking over from the Seri Emperor.
Facing the threat of rising seas, expected to exceed 25 feet, the Navy crew had a brief window to carry out the rescue through a small boat operation.
While the harsh conditions prevented the recovery of the dead man, the joint effort by the Coast Guard and Navy successfully saved the lives of the woman, her daughter and their pets—a cat and a tortoise.
U.S. 3rd Fleet commander Vice Adm. John Wade reflected on the operation: “While saddened by the loss of the sailing vessel’s master, I couldn’t be prouder of the combined efforts of the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy who saved the lives of two other passengers.”
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