The crew of the US Coast Guard fast response cutter USCGC Joseph Napier rescued five boaters from a disabled vessel 13 nautical miles off Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, on the afternoon of Saturday, February 1.
The rescued individuals include four men and a woman, who came into distress after the recreational vessel Michelle Marie II became disabled in eight-foot (two-metre) seas and started taking on water.
Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan received a call from a 911 emergency operator and a VHF Channel 16 radio communication from Michelle Marie II reporting that the vessel and pumps on board were disabled, and that the five people on board were exhausted from manually bailing out water.
Watchstanders issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast to advise nearby vessel traffic of the ongoing distress, they alerted Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action, they directed the launch of a coast guard MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter and diverted the cutter Joseph Napier to the scene.
As Napier arrived on-scene, the cutter crew spotted two signal flares that had been launched from Michelle Marie II. Napier's crew deployed their over-the-horizon small boat, which came alongside the recreational vessel, and safely embarked the five passengers.
The Napier crew utilised a P-6 pump to help dewater the vessel, Michelle Marie II. Afterwards, the commercial salvage vessel Kraken arrived on-scene, embarked the survivors, and transported them with the vessel Michelle Marie II in tow to the safety of Combate Beach in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico.
No injuries or medical emergencies were reported in this case.