jueves, 14 de febrero de 2019

Coast Guard, good Samaritan rescue mariner 230 miles offshore Galveston, Texas

MH-65 Dolphin Air Station Houston ©USCG (archive)
HOUSTON​ —​ The Coast Guard and the crew of a good Samaritan vessel rescued​ a 57-year-old man approximately 230 miles offshore of Galveston, Texas, Wednesday.

Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders received a report from the crew of the research vessel Hugin Explorer stating the sailing vessel Pomodoro was taking on water and in need of assistance.

Hugin Explorer's crew relayed the mariner's radio distress calls to Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders.
An Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew and a Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew were launched to the scene.

The crew of the Hugin Explorer arrived on scene and transferred the mariner from the sinking vessel.

The MH-65 helicopter crew arrived on scene, hoisted the mariner from the good Samaritan vessel and transferred him to Scholes International Airport in Galveston, Texas.

The Pomodoro is currently adrift. A broadcast notice to mariners has been issued.

"The mariner's level of safety preparedness along with the quick actions of the crew of the Hugin Explorer lead to the positive outcome today," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Mckendrick, a situation unit controller at Sector Houston-Galveston.

"The mariner was able to don his lifejacket, activate his emergency position indicating​ radio beacon and contact nearby vessels by radio for assistance."

Weather on scene was reported as 8-foot seas with 23-mph winds.​
HC-144 Ocean Sentry Air Station Corpus Christi ©USCG (archive)

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