US Coast Guard, Good Samaritans rescue distressed boater near Puerto Rico

The crew of the US Coast Guard fast response cutter Joseph Napier combined efforts with the Hong Kong-flagged containership CSCL Long Beach and the Singaporean-flagged LNG tanker Gemmata to rescue a man from a disabled sailing vessel in the Caribbean Sea approximately 114 nautical miles southeast of Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, on Thursday, December 31.

Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan received a notification from the master of CSCL Long Beach at 23:40 local time on Wednesday, December 30. The containership’s master relayed a distress call from the sailing vessel that was received via VHF marine radio digital selective calling transmission.

The yacht was disabled and adrift due to having broken sails, a damaged rudder, and not enough fuel to transit to safe harbour in the degrading sea state and weather conditions.

Watchstanders immediately diverted Joseph Napier to provide rescue assistance. The LNG tanker Gemmata also diverted to the scene and served as a communications platform with the distressed boat while the coast guard cutter completed a transit of over 150 nautical miles.

Despite deteriorating weather, Joseph Napier‘s crew quickly deployed a small boat to rescue the master of the sailing vessel, who did not sustain injuries or require medical assistance.

The rescued individual has been identified as Carl Michael Corey, 39, a citizen of the United Kingdom, who was transiting solo on New Year’s Eve aboard the sailing vessel Jade when it became disabled and went adrift in two-metre-high seas.