The Coast Guard has suspended its search for two missing crewmembers from sunk sailing cargo vessel De Gallant approximately 20 miles north of Great Inagua, Bahamas, after an extensive air and sea operation.
Over 44 hours, rescue crews covered more than 3,700 square miles but were unable to locate the two female crew members of the Vanuatu-flagged schooner De Gallant. The incident began early morning of May 21, when distress signals were received from the De Gallant.
A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Clearwater, forward-deployed to Great Inagua, located two life rafts with six French nationals among debris. These survivors reported that the schooner had encountered a storm, taken on water, and sunk, prompting the crew to abandon ship in life rafts.
The six survivors were hoisted by the helicopter crew and transported to Coast Guard Air Station Miami in Opa Locka, Florida, all in good health. Despite the continued efforts of the Coast Guard and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, the two missing crew members were not found.
