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2 distressed vessels rescued
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Posted on Apr 16 2002
Rescuers saved two distressed vessels and its occupants over the weekend, police reported yesterday. No one was reported hurt from both distress calls, according to Public Safety spokesperson Lt. Pete C. Muña.
One of the vessels, a 41-foot green/gray boat owned by Mariano Falig halted 46 miles southwest of Saipan due to fuel shortage last Saturday, April 13.
Emergency Management Office personnel chartered a rescue boat and responded to the emergency call with five gallons of extra fuel. Muña said it took the rescuers around six hours to reach the stranded vessel. They left at 8pm and got to the boat at 2am.
The vessel’s captain, Rick Sadler, and his crew were all in good health, according to Muña.
“If there is negligence on their [sailors] part, they will be cited. And I do believe that if you are on the water and you run out of fuel, it’s considered negligent,” said Muña.
Mechanical failure was pinpointed as the reason why another vessel got stranded two miles from Saipan last Sunday, April 14.
One Akira Ishikawa and three male individuals were on board the vessel, described as a red, 36-foot, 300-horsepower boat. They were reportedly returning home from a fishing expedition.
EMO, who intercepted the distress call, immediately contacted the Boating Safety Unit to respond to the emergency.
Rescuers hurriedly headed to the location and guided the troubled boat back to the Smiling Cove Marina.
Muña said everyone was transported safely to land. (MM)
