Joint Rescue Coordination Center News

At least 71 people died when the migrant boat they were aboard sank off the Syrian coast after sailing from Lebanon earlier this week, the Lebanese transport minister said, as search operations continued on Friday.It marks the deadliest such voyage yet from Lebanon, where mounting economic desperation has led many to board often rickety and overcrowded boats in the hope of reaching Europe.Syrian authorities began finding bodies off the coast of Tartus on Thursday afternoon. The Syrian transport ministry has cited survivors saying the boat left from Lebanon's northern Minyeh region on Tuesday with between 120 and 150 people onboard, bound for Europe.

Canadian rescue officials on Wednesday suspended the search for 11 missing crew members from a Spanish trawler that sank the previous day in rough seas off the coast of Newfoundland, killing at least 10 people.Three surviving sailors from the trawler, suffering from severe hypothermia, were plucked from a life raft early on Tuesday. It was not immediately clear what sank the trawler Villa de Pitanxo.Bad weather complicated the search efforts, which went on for some 36 hours and involved a plane, two helicopters, rescue ships and one Spanish and two Portuguese trawlers.At 4 p.m.

Sea rescue services from the Canadian city of Halifax found and recovered 10 bodies from a Spanish fishing trawler that sank in rough sea off the eastern coast of Canada, the services said late on Tuesday, though 11 of the crew are still missing.“Regrettably, Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) Halifax can confirm that an additional three deceased individuals have been recovered from the sunken fishing vessel,” the center said on its Twitter account. Earlier, it announced the recovery of seven bodies.Three surviving sailors from the trawler…

At least seven crew from a Spanish trawler have died and three were plucked from a life raft after their ship sank off the Canadian coast on Tuesday, an official said, as rescuers searched for more survivors in the bitterly cold Atlantic waters.The vessel, the Villa de Pitanxo, with a crew of 24 comprising 16 Spaniards, five Peruvians and three Ghanaians, launched a distress beacon at 0424 GMT, Spain's fisheries ministry said.It sank around 450 km (280 miles) east-southeast of Newfoundland, the ministry said."Seven people have been found dead," said Alberto Nunez Feijoo, the leader of Spain's Galicia region where the vessel and several of its crew were from."There were two Galician fishing boats in the area…

Thirty-one fisherman have been rescued from a fishing vessel that caught fire and began to sink off the coast of Eastern Canada.At 7:05 p.m., Tuesday, the Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Halifax notified watchstanders at the U.S. Coast Guard First District Command Center that the 143-foot Atlantic Destiny was disabled with a fire on board, and was taking on water in 26-foot seas and 35-mile-per-hour winds.A U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod HC-144 Ocean Sentry fixed-wing crew…

An injured mariner was medevaced from a containership off the coast of Hawaii on Wednesday.At 4 a.m., Saturday, the captain of the 984-foot Adonis notified Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) Honolulu watchstanders that a 43-year-old crew member on board suffered a hand injury. A U.S. Coast Guard duty flight surgeon was consulted and recommended a medevac based on the concern that the mariner’s injury could worsen if left untreated.Due to the vessel’s size and safety concerns for a small-boat transfer, the Malta-flagged containership’s crew was instructed to set course for Oahu where Coast Guard crews would rendezvous upon arrival.Coast Guard crews conducted the medevac nine miles south of Honolulu, on Wednesday.

An ailing seafarer was medevaced from a 650-foot car carrier vessel, 100 miles northwest of Honolulu, Friday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.At 9 p.m., Thursday, the Cayman Islands-flagged Brilliant Ace notified Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) watchstanders in Honolulu that a 50-year-old crewmember on board appeared to be suffering from his medications not working.Duty flight surgeons from the Coast Guard were consulted and recommended a medevac based on the concern that the mariner’s condition could rapidly deteriorate if left untreated.

The crew aboard a U.S.-flagged containership rescued three sailors from a 50-foot trimaran that became disabled in the Pacific Ocean, about 825 miles northeast of Oahu, last week.At 8 a.m., last Tuesday, U.S. Coast Guard watchstanders at Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) Honolulu received a report from a friend of the trimaran’s master stating the vessel, Third Try, had not made contact since Monday. The three mariners aboard were attempting a nonstop circumnavigation of the globe, and their last known position was between California and Hawaii.Watchstanders issued a SafetyNET broadcast notifying merchant vessels in the region…

The Norwegian authorities on Thursday suspended wider search and rescue operations for two Bulgarian sailors who officials say fell overboard from a cargo ship in the Norwegian Sea, the Bulgarian foreign ministry said.The two-helicopter rescue operation began around 400 kilometers southwest of the town of Bodo in the early afternoon on Thursday, but activities were severely hampered by bad weather - high winds and eight-meter-high waves, the ministry said."According to the Norwegian Joint Rescue Coordination Center, under the current climatic conditions there is no chance for those who have fallen into the water to survive for such a long time," the ministry said in a statement.The crew of the Stara Planina cargo ship consists of 19 people - 18 Bulgarian citizens and one Ukraine citizen.Th

Frontier Jacaranda, a bulk carrier operated by NYK Bulkship (Atlantic) NV., rescued a distressed yachtsman on January 18 (local time) in the North Atlantic.While Frontier Jacaranda was navigating for Rotterdam, Netherlands, the vessel received a call from the UK’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Center. The ship immediately headed to the instructed area and rescued a British yachtsman. The individual was in good health and delivered to the Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) of the Republic of Cabo Verde on January 20.About Frontier JacarandaCaptain: Edgar Sulpecio C.

The Coast Guard has suspended the active search for the remaining unaccounted for crewmember of the Sincerity Ace, Wednesday.“Following the conclusion of morning and afternoon searches by our aircraft and commercial vessels we suspended the active search. This is always a difficult decision and takes many factors into account,” said Chief Petty Officer Dennis Vetrano, with Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu. "We extend our condolences to the families and loved ones of the crewmembers affected by this tragedy.”Good Samaritans from four merchant vessels were able to rescue 16 of the 21 Sincerity Ace crew who abandoned ship following a fire, Monday.

The Coast Guard and good Samaritans aboard several commercial vessels are responding to a reported vessel fire on the 650-foot Sincerity Ace 1,800 nautical miles (2071 statute miles) northwest of Oahu on the high seas, Monday.“The distance involved here requires any and all available support, we thank the crews of the commercial vessels for volunteering to assist and have Coast Guard air support en route,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Les Elliott of JRCC Honolulu.One commercial vessel…

An ailing crewmember aboard an oil tanker was medevaced by the U.S. Coast Guard roughly 12 miles south of Oahu, Hawaii, Wednesday. The crewman, a 45-year-old citizen of India, was said to be suffering from heart attack symptoms when personnel aboard the ship contacted watchstanders at the Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center at 11 a.m. Saturday requesting assistance. The vessel was 1,438 miles from Oahu at the time headed toward the U.S. from Southeast Asia and elected to divert their course toward Honolulu.

A 29-year-old man arrived in good condition to Honolulu Wednesday aboard a Coast Guard small boat after being rescued by merchant mariners in the Southeastern Pacific Ocean and surviving a two- month ordeal at sea. A Coast Guard 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew from Station Honolulu safely transported the man from the motor vessel Nikkei Verde offshore of Honolulu to the Coast Guard Base Wednesday morning to meet awaiting EMS in stable condition. “This mariner had great fortitude and is very fortunate the crew of the Nikkei Verde happened upon him as the area he was in is not heavily trafficked,” said Lt. Cmdr. John MacKinnon, Joint Rescue Coordination Center chief with the Coast Guard 14th District. “The Pacific is vast and inherently dangerous and all mariners respect that.

At least five people died after a whale watching boat with 27 people on board sank off Vancouver Island and a rescue mission remained active late Sunday, says Canadian authorities. 21 other people have been recovered from the water, says Lt. Commander Desmond James, a spokesperson for Canada’s Joint Rescue Coordination Center. One person remains unaccounted for. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police will take over the search for the missing person. The 20-metre Leviathan II, operated by Jamie's Whaling Station, made a mayday call late on Sunday afternoon, local time, on a clear and sunny day in the tourist community that is a popular destination for whale watchers on the country's west coast. The boat was partially submerged eight nautical miles west of Tofino.

The crew of Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City is hosting an international joint search-and-rescue exercise with members of the Royal Canadian Air Force beginning Tuesday in and around the Traverse City area. The Royal Canadian Air Force's 424th Transport and Rescue Squadron based at CFB Trenton, Ontario, will be flying a CC-130 Hercules aircraft and a CH-146 Griffon helicopter during the search-and-rescue exercises taking place from October 13 to October 15th. U.S. Coast Guard units participating include MH-65D Dolphin helicopters from Air Station Traverse City and vessels from Coast Guard Stations Charlevoix, Michigan, and Manistee, Michigan. Training operations will start Tuesday when Canadian and U.S. Coast Guard rescue crews will begin classroom and ground-rescue briefings.

Five men are safe, Saturday, after being after being stranded at sea in a 14-foot skiff since Wednesday. The men were rescued by the crew of the motor vessel, Shourong Harmony after an HC-130 Hercules air crew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point spotted the 14-foot aluminum skiff while searching, 184 miles east northeast of Teraina Island, Kiribati. The men were reported to be in good condition once they were rescued. Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center received notification at 4:37 p.m., Wednesday, from the Rescue Coordination Center in Nandi, near Fiji, reporting an overdue skiff with five men aboard who had not returned after departing on a fishing trip from Teraina Island, Kiribati, Monday.

The Coast Guard suspended the search Saturday for an overdue 83-foot commercial fishing vessel near the Republic of Marshall Islands. Fishing vessel Clear Water 02 reportedly went missing with nine people aboard while en route Majuro for offload, March 12. "Suspending a search is never an easy decision and is only done after intense scrutiny and evaluation of our search efforts as a whole," said Lt. Justin Gear, JRCC Honolulu command duty officer. A Coast Guard aircraft searched 49,837 square miles totaling 44 search hours. Ten good Samaritan vessels also assisted in search efforts. A Navy P-3 Orion airplane from U.S. Navy 7th Fleet searched Thursday and Friday covering an additional 8,747 square miles.

The Coast Guard continues the search for an overdue 82-foot commercial fishing vessel near the Republic of Marshall Islands, Saturday. Fishing vessel Clear Water 02 reportedly went missing with nine people aboard while en route Majuro for offload, Thursday. A Coast Guard aircraft has searched approximately 14,000 square miles totaling eight search hours. Eight good Samaritan vessels are assisting with a total of 13,809 square miles searched since Thursday. At 5:26 p.m. Thursday, watchstanders at the Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Honolulu received notification from the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Majuro after the vessel failed to return to port as scheduled.

The Coast Guard is searching for the master of a freight ship reported overboard approximately 60 miles east of Wake Island Sunday. Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center were notified at approximately 6 p.m. Saturday, regarding a 49-year-old male Polish national who was reported overboard from the 622-foot freight ship Toscana. The master was last seen at approximately 8 p.m. Friday. Twelve hours passed before the ship realized the crewmember was missing. An HC-130 Hercules airplane crew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point was launched Saturday and is staging out of Wake Island to conduct the searches. The ship retraced its route to search for the missing crewmember, but has continued on to its next port of call in Yokohama, Japan due to fuel limitations.

Canadian, U.S. Coast Guards and Foss Maritime coordinate a textbook response operation. Robust response trumps the need for later salvage. In the early hours of Friday, October 17, the crew of the Russian cargo ship Simushir attempted to repair a broken oil heater. On its way to Pevek in the Russian Far East, the vessel suddenly lost propulsion and began drifting toward the nearest land, which in this case was the archipeligo Haida Gwaii. Just off the coast of northern British Columbia…

Foss Maritime's ocean-going tug, the Barbara Foss, is towing the Russian cargo vessel, Simushir, which lost power late Thursday night off the west coast of Haida Gwaii. The Barbara Foss is currently traveling at 5.5 knots and is expected to arrive at the Port of Prince Rupert, BC with the Simushir in tow at approximately 10:00 p.m. Pacific Time tonight, where two assist tugs and a pilot will be on hand to help the ship dock. "We've been working very closely with the Canadian Coast Guard and the Joint Rescue Coordination Center to successfully manage this situation," said Gary Faber, Senior Vice President of Foss Maritime. "At this point, the ship is riding well behind the tug, and the weather and sea conditions are not posing concerns.

The Coast Guard medevaced a 76-year-old man being treated for internal bleeding from a cruise ship 80 miles north of Oahu, Tuesday. An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point safely hoisted the man from the cruise ship Carnival Miracle at 9 p.m. and transferred him to awaiting EMS at the Honolulu Airport. The patient was admitted to Queens Medical Center at 10:14 p.m. Personnel aboard the cruise ship contacted watchstanders at Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu at 4:21 p.m. Sunday regarding medical assistance for an ailing passenger. The ship had originally departed Vancouver, British Columbia, en route Nawiliwili, Kauai. The ship’s doctor was treating the man for internal bleeding.