The US Coast Guard has coordinated the rescue of 27 crew members from Ecuadorian-flagged tuna seiner Drennec, which was crippled by a fire on board 527 miles south-west of the Galapagos Islands.
The US Coast Guard Southwest District watchstanders received multiple distress alerts from Drennec, including an emergency beacon alert and Iridium alert from a Garmin inReach device. Watchstanders established contact with Garmin Response who confirmed that the vessel had caught fire and all 27 crew members had abandoned ship into a life raft.
Using the Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System (AMVER), Coast Guard watchstanders reached out to nearby vessels, alerting them to the situation and requesting assistance.
Two good Samaritan vessels, container ship Oluf Maersk and fishing vessel Ricky A, diverted to assist.
Ricky A recovered all 27 mariners from the lifeboat, while Oluf Maersk remained on scene to assist. All 27 individuals were reported safely aboard the Ricky A, which is taking them them to Guayaquil in Ecuador.
‘Rescuing 27 crew members within 11 hours of the distress alert in a remote area of the Pacific Ocean is an incredible achievement that highlights how the Global Search and Rescue System is designed to work,’ said search and rescue mission coordinator Doug Samp.
‘This rapid response was made possible by the crew’s proper emergency devices and the seamless coordination between the Coast Guard, Maritime Rescue Coordination Center Ecuador, and the good Samaritans who responded. We sincerely appreciate the response from Oluf Maersk and Ricky A, who directly contributed to 27 lives saved.’
