US Coast Guard, tanker crew rescue capsized rower in Atlantic Ocean

US Coast Guard Sector San Juan Command Center watchstanders and the crew of the Liberian-flagged crude oil tanker Horten rescued a capsized rower in the Atlantic Ocean east of Puerto Rico on Wednesday, January 21.

Belgian national Benoit Bourguet was rescued on Wednesday evening (local time) after his single-man rowing vessel City of Liverpool was reportedly struck by two rogue waves and capsized in 13- to 15-foot (four- to 4.5-metre) seas, which forced him to deploy and board his liferaft.

Bourguet and his vessel were reportedly competing in a 3,000-mile (5,000-kilometre) rowing race from San Sebastian de la Gomera, Spain, to Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua. No other vessels in the race have been reported to be in distress.

Coast Guard Sector San Juan Command Center watchstanders received an unregistered 406 MHz EPIRB signal from City of Liverpool at approximately 02:00 on Wednesday, alerting of a possible distress approximately 1,100 nautical miles east of Puerto Rico.

Afterwards, watchstanders received a second 406 MHz emergency distress signal from a personal locating beacon device from the same area. Watchstanders were able to contact the race's safety coordinator, who confirmed they had not been able to contact Bourguet after numerous messages had gone unanswered.

Watchstanders issued an automated mutual-assistance vessel rescue (AMVER) callout to contact the Zodiac Maritime-managed tanker Horten and enhanced group calling to notify other vessels in the vicinity to be on the lookout for distress. They also contacted the rowing vessel Old Sea Dogs, also participating in the race, which made VHF radio callouts to Bourguet, though these calls also went unanswered.

Meanwhile, Horten, which was transiting on a voyage from Germany offshore Guyana, received the AMVER communication and diverted for over 12 hours transiting approximately 110 miles (180 kilometres) to the distress signal’s position.

During the response, coast guard watchstanders maintained communication with the tanker’s crew providing updates to the beacon’s position. Once in the vicinity, the crew sighted a liferaft and confirmed a survivor.

Due to the heavy sea states, the tanker's crew used a life ring to safely recover the survivor, who was confirmed to be Bourguet. Bourguet, who was dehydrated but otherwise in good health, reported being in distress for approximately 24 hours.

He also maintained his capsized vessel tied to the liferaft until his rescue.