Ocean Rescue by Horizon Container Ship

AMVER participating container ship 'Horizon Reliance' rescues elderly yachtsman 1,000 miles off shore

The Amver participating ship Horizon Reliance rescued an 81 year old male from his sailboat four months after the ship rescued three Canadians in another daring Pacific rescue.

The situation began as a possible medical evacuation from a sailboat 1,100 miles east north east of Ohau and resulted in personnel from the U.S. Coast Guard Fourteenth District using an Amver surface picture to identify and divert the U.S. flagged container ship to rescue the sick sailor.

"We've successfully transferred the patient from the sailing vessel," Horizon Reliance Captain Barry Costanzi said, "and we are proceeding to Honolulu at top speed.

Amver, sponsored by the United States Coast Guard, is a unique, computer-based, and voluntary global ship reporting system used worldwide by search and rescue authorities to arrange for assistance to persons in distress at sea.

This was the second rescue in just over four months for the container ship. On February 8th, 2012 the Horizon Reliance diverted and rescued three Canadians after their sailboat sank 280 miles northeast of Hilo, Hawaii.

The Horizon Reliance, managed by Horizon Lines of Charlotte, NC, enrolled in Amver in 1990 and has earned participation awards for 21 years.