Two People Abandon Vessel In Rough Weather
A 40ft vessel bound for Bermuda suffered “engine problems and ripped sails” earlier this month, so the two people onboard abandoned the vessel, and were picked up by a bulk carrier ship.
A Bermuda Maritime Operations Centre spokesperson said, “The U.S. Coast Guard, RCC Norfolk, called RCC Bermuda to advise that the 40 ft S/V Radio Flyer, bound for Bermuda, had suffered engine problems and ripped sails in a position 250 miles to the west north west of Bermuda.
Image courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard:
“The yacht declared that they were in distress, using their Garmin Inreach device. After co-ordination by RCC Norfolk, the two people onboard abandoned to the Hong Kong registered bulk carrier KSL Santiago to be carried onboard to the vessel’s next port of call, Baltimore.
“RCC Bermuda is broadcasting a Notice to Mariners regarding the floating hazard to navigation and trying to establish if the yacht has an EPIRB left onboard and if it is broadcasting via AIS.”
Video courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard:
“This could have gone much differently given the weather conditions, the fact that the boat was disabled and that it was in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean,” said Mr. Kelvin Morgan, operational unit controller for the U.S. Coast Guard Fifth District command center. “The fact we have partners like the crew and captain of the KSL Santiago allows cases like this to have a happy ending.”
