Tanker Assists Sailor in Distress in the Caribbean Sea

MarineLink February 6, 2023

Coast Guard crews and the chemical tank ship Silver Dover assisted an 80-year-old man in distress aboard the sailing vessel Tao Feb. 4, 2023, approximately 57 nautical miles southeast of Puerto Rico. The boater, who was the sole passenger aboard the sailing vessel Tao, is safely aboard the tank ship Silver Dover and will be transiting to the ship’s destination in Houston, Texas. (Photo: U.S. Coast Guard)

A Marshall Islands registered chemical tanker came to the aid of a sailor in distress Saturday morning in the Caribbean Sea, approximately 57 nautical miles southeast of Puerto Rico.

U.S. Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan received a VHF-Channel 16 communication from the sailing vessel Tao at 1:45 a.m. Saturday reporting the vessel lost steering and the sole boater on board, an 80-year-old man, had lost the ability to simultaneously access the vessel’s compass and emergency tiller.

The watchstanders established a communication schedule with the boater and issued a Marine Assistance Request Broadcast for any vessel traffic in the area that could render assistance. Watchstanders later experienced broken communications followed by a complete loss of communication with the sailing vessel Tao. With expected sea state conditions deteriorating by the hour, watchstanders proceeded to transmit an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast to advise nearby vessel traffic of a possible distress and directed the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter to locate the sailing vessel.

As search and rescue coordination efforts continued, the 600-foot tanker Silver Dover responded to the Urgent Marine Information Broadcast and diverted to render assistance. As the Coast Guard MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter arrived on scene, the tanker came alongside the sailing vessel Tao and embarked the boater. The Coast Guard aircrew then proceeded to deploy their rescue swimmer aboard the sailing vessel Tao and activate a Self-Locating Datum Marker Buoy to maintain awareness of the vessel’s position and advise vessel traffic to be on the lookout for the unmanned sailing vessel.

The tank ship reported the boater to be in good health and that he would remain aboard until the ship reached its destination in Houston.

“This case highlights the well-known willingness of commercial shipping vessels such as the tank ship Silver Dover to divert from their regular routes to aid a fellow mariner,” said Lt. Cmdr. Kimberly Shadwick, U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Juan Search and Rescue mission coordinator for the case. “We appreciate the coordination and response efforts of all the Coast Guard personnel and units who participated in this case and wish this boater a safe journey and reunification with his family and loved ones.”