The U.S. Coast Guard helped coordinate the rescue of 27 people from a Venezuela-flagged fishing vessel that sank roughly 500 miles northwest of the Galapagos Islands.
According to a release from the Coast Guard, the 240-foot fishing vessel La Pena issued a distress call at 3:51 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on 31 January, reporting that the vessel had caught fire and sank. All 27 crew members on the vessel at the time managed to evacuate onto an emergency lifeboat.
The crew reported they had no life jackets, food, or water on board the lifeboat, and the satellite device they were using to communicate with the Coast Guard had 37 percent battery life left.
The U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center Alameda placed the crew on a 90-minute communication schedule to maintain position updates and answer questions to preserve the battery life of the device.
Following the crew’s reports, the Coast Guard said it contacted the Seaways Kenosha, an oil/chemical tanker, which was roughly 100 miles away from the lifeboat and the closest available vessel. The ship agreed to assist, and the Coast Guard coordinated the response and guided the vessel to the La Pena’s position.
The Seaways Kenosha recovered all 27 mariners from the lifeboat at approximately 3:30 a.m. on 1 February, and the Coast Guard said it plans to continue to coordinate the transfer of the survivors to shore.
“The outcome of this case is a direct result of the vigilance and professionalism of our watchstanders, who quickly pieced together limited information, coordinated with multiple domestic and international partners, and directed nearby vessels to the scene,” U.S. Coast Guard Chief of Incident Management Captain Patrick Dill said in a release. “Their actions, together with the rapid response of motor vessel Seaways Kenosha, helped ensure 27 mariners were brought to safety from a life-threatening situation in a remote area of the Pacific Ocean.”
