3 stranded at sea rescued from disabled sailboat 950 miles from Adak
The Coast Guard says the sailboat lost rudder control about 950 miles southwest of Adak before an international rescue effort
ADAK, Alaska (KTUU) - Three people stranded on a disabled sailboat in the North Pacific were rescued after a coordinated effort by the U.S., Canadian and Japanese coast guards, officials said.
The crew aboard the 40-foot sailing vessel Mizuya reported losing control of the boat’s rudder at 12:15 a.m. Thursday, leaving them unable to maneuver about 950 miles southwest of Adak, Alaska, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Watchstanders at the U.S. Coast Guard Arctic District command center contacted commercial and recreational vessels in the area to try to arrange a rescue, but officials said 35 mph winds and 15-foot waves made rescue attempts unsafe.
The Canadian Coast Guard Ship Sir Wilfrid Laurier then traveled more than 575 miles to reach the disabled sailboat Friday evening. The ship’s crew picked up all three people in good condition Sunday and transferred them to the Japan Coast Guard patrol vessel Kurikoma, which will take them to Japan, officials said.
After the rescue, the Canadian crew painted “SAFE” in red across the sailboat’s hull and cabin before leaving it adrift in the North Pacific Ocean, according to the Coast Guard.
Lt. Cmdr. Benjamin Mcintyre-Coble, a search and rescue mission coordinator with the U.S. Coast Guard Arctic District command center, credited international coordination for the successful rescue.
“This successful rescue highlights the exceptional skills, dedication, and teamwork of the U.S., Canada, and Japan Coast Guards.” Mcintyre-Coble said. “In this region with vast swaths of open ocean, collaborative effort is often the only way to save lives when the need arises.”
The Sir Wilfrid Laurier was deployed in the North Pacific as part of Operation North Pacific Guard when it responded to the rescue, according to the Canadian Coast Guard.
Derek Moss, assistant commissioner for the Canadian Coast Guard’s western region, said the rescue took place about 3,100 miles from the ship’s home port in Victoria, British Columbia. He said Canadian Coast Guard crew members, Fisheries and Oceans Canada fishery officers and Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers were involved in the response.
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