Tag: search and rescue operation

Passengers were evacuated and transferred to refugee camp near Tunisia-Libya border Tunisia's coast guard launched Wednesday operations to rescue some 700 would-be immigrants trapped on a fishing boat that stalled off the country's coast, the official TAP news agency said.The boat is believed to have set sail from Libya and was en route to Italy, the report said. Its passengers, which include women and children, are mostly of sub-Saharan African origin.Passengers alerted Tunisian coastal authorities after the boat stalled some 20 miles off the Kerkennah islands in southern Tunisia on Tuesday, TAP said. Because of difficult weather, the rescue operations couldn't begin until Wednesday morning.Passengers were being evacuated aboard inflatable rafts and are to be transferred to the Choucha refugee camp near the Tunisia-Libya border. The camp is providing shelter to sub-Saharan Africans and others who have fled months-long conflict between Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi and rebels.Meanwhile, Italian officials seized a yacht said to have belonged to the family of former Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who was deposed in a popular uprising in January.The 14-meter (45-foot) vessel, the Atlantique 43, was anchored in the port of Italy's southern island of Lampedusa when it was seized by financial ...

Threatened being dashed against rocks on the Mull of Kintyre The Sceptre and her five-strong crew flashed an SOS as she drifted helplessly in strong rip tides and rough conditions towards the shore.The mayday was picked up by the 1bn destroyer, currently in the middle of her second period of sea trials off the west coast of Scotland.The Type 45 was fortunately just six miles away from the yacht at the time and just 25 minutes after picking up the distress call, Dragon was able to put her sea boat in the water to offer assistance.Five minutes later and the boat had a tow line across to the yacht. For the next 16 minutes it struggled amid high waves and a strong tidal race to haul the Sceptre until the tow parted.A second line was thrown across as the RIB fought the elements to save the yacht from being smashed until the Campbeltown lifeboat arrived on the scene to take Sceptre to safety in the small fishing port.Dragon has a mixed RN/BAE Systems crew aboard as she undergoes her extensive trials and the same counted for her sea boat, driven by AB Brigs with BAEs Willy Brownless and Robert Allen ...

Member of the crew of Velopoula tank The Coast Guard suspended its active search Monday evening for the motor vessel Velopoula tank ship mariner who reportedly fell overboard 135 miles north of Samana, Dominican Republic, Saturday.The decision to suspend a search is very difficult when someone is still missing at sea, said Capt. Ed Pino, commander of Coast Guard Sector San Juan. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the missing mariner during this difficult time.Coast Guard rescue crews launched an aerial and surface search Saturday for the 24-year-old Greek mariner after Coast Guard Watchstanders in Sector San Juan received a satellite communication from the master of the 748-foot Velopoula reporting the incident.The mariner reportedly was last seen at 12 p.m. Saturday and was noticed missing four hours later.Units involved with the search included:Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft crewsCoast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Fla., HC-130 Hercules aircraft crewsThe crew of the Coast Guard Ccutter FarallonCoast Guard searches totaled more than 3,600 square-miles, or roughly the size of the island of Puerto Rico.Coast Guard Cutter Farallon is a 110-foot patrol boat home ported in San Juan.Source: Coast GuardNews

Grounded on a sandbank At 09.45 pm, Liverpool Coastguard received a 999 call, from three men who had become grounded on a sandbank somewhere between Lytham St. Annes and Southport.The men, who were on a three-metre RHIB had no means to navigate, had no lights and only mobile phones to communicate. As the men could not be certain as to which side of the river Ribble they were, Coastguard Rescue Teams from Lytham and Southport were tasked.After firing white illuminating flares to try and locate them, Merseyside Police helicopter offered to assist in the search and located them approximately 2 nautical miles northwest of the old sandworks at Crossens.MRCC Liverpool sent Southport IRB and their two quad-bikes to the position and with the assistance of Southport Coastguard team they transferred the men, one of whom appeared to be suffering from the effects of hypothermia, from their boat back to shore and a waiting ambulance for assessment.It transpired that one of the casualties had been overboard trying to pull the craft into deeper water, this man was transferred to Southport Hospital. Southport IRB later recovered the RHIB to their boat-house.Paul Parkes, Watch Manager, Liverpool Coastguard said:Once again, we would like to ...

A 20 foot fishing boat Two crew members have been rescued from a 20 foot fishing boat after they issued a mayday stating that they were sinking a mile south of Black Head on the Isle of Man.Liverpool Coastguard received the mayday from the Aurora at 16.47, and requested the launch of the Port St. Mary RNLI Inshore and All Weather Lifeboats, along with tasking the Port Erin Coastguard Rescue Team. Another fishing vessel, two girls overheard the mayday and proceeded to the vessel, taking the two crew members on board. Although crew members from the lifeboats attempted to pump the water from the vessel, the ingress was too much and at 17.07 the vessel sank. The crew members from the Aurora were taken back to Port St. Mary, where they were met by the Coastguard Rescue Team.Liverpool Coastguard Watch Manager Su Daintith said:We would like to thank the crew of the vessel Two Girls whose swift response to the Auroras mayday this afternoon ultimately saved both of the crew members lives.Source: Maritime and Coastguard Agency

18 year old woman rescued An 18 year old woman was rescued last night from a ledge on a cliff at Atherfield Point, Isle of Wight after she slipped 30 feet during an attempt to rescue her cat.Solent Coastguard co-ordinated the rescue after receiving a 999 call just before 7pm. They sent the Ventnor and Needles Coastguard Rescue Teams to the scene with an ambulance.Coastguard Rescue Officers and a paramedic were lowered to the lady on the ledge. After receiving medical assistance she was pulled back up the cliff on a stretcher. She is now receiving medical attention in hospital. The cat was also recovered safe and well.Deputy Watch Manager Matthew West said: This woman was incredibly lucky to be rescued with relatively minor injuries. We know its worrying when pets go missing but cliffs are dangerous places, particularly in the dark. If you think your pet is on the wrong side of a cliff please dont attempt to rescue them yourself or you too could find yourself in a precarious position on a cliff ledge.Source: Maritime and costguard Agency

Fallen overboard when anchoring the vessel A crew member that fell overboard from a landing craft when it was anchoring off the Sound of Jura this evening has been airlifted to hospital.Clyde Coastguard were alerted to the incident at 19.25 by a 999 call from one of the owners of the vessel, who reported that a crew member from the landing craft, the Forth Guardsman had fallen overboard when anchoring the vessel, and had been trapped between the anchor cable and the vessel and sustained injuries.Clyde Coastguard sent Rescue 177 helicopter from HMS Gannet, the Islay Lifeboat and the Port Charlotte Coastguard Rescue Team to the scene. Two other vessels that were in proximity to the Forth Guardsman also proceeded. The casualty was recovered by the vessels rescue boat and subsequently transferred into the lifeboat at 20.13 before being airlifted into the helicopter to Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock.Clyde Coastguard Watch Manager Tarik Yassin said:The crew member had been assisting with anchoring the vessel just south of the Sound of Jura when he fell overboard. A Royal Navy Helicopter, lifeboat and Coastguard Team proceeded to his rescue and he was transferred by helicopter to hospital at 20.15.Source: Maritime and Coastguard Agency

17 nautical miles East North East of the Isles of Scilly At 00.27 am Falmouth Coastguard received a Mayday distress call from the fishing vessel Ben My Chree with five crew onboard.Their distress call reported that they were taking water and sinking 17 nautical miles East North East of the Isles of Scilly. Falmouth Coastguard immediately broadcast a Mayday relay, and requested the scramble of Rescue Helicopter R193 and St Marys All Weather Lifeboat.Another Newlyn registered fishing vessel CKS responded to the broadcast and proceeded from 7nm away at best speed. The wind was a force 5 from the west south west with a moderate to rough sea. Once on scene R193 attempted to lower the Coastguard pump down onto the vessel but this proved impossible due to the weather conditions.The water level in the vessel was still rising and the crew were getting very concerned, so R193 winched four off the vessel. The skipper was the last to leave and even though he had knocked the engine out of gear when he left the wheel house the vessel continued to proceed in a very erratic manner due to the mizzen sail being set.This meant that R193 could not winch ...

Four crew on board Four fishing vessels and a lifeboat have saved another fishing vessel after it started to sink off the north coast of the Isle of Rum this morning.At 5:53am today the four crew on board the fishing vessel Caralisa issued a mayday call, two miles northwest of the Isle of Rum, after the they discovered water in the hold and engine room. Due to poor radio communications in the area, the Caralisas mayday was relayed to Stornoway Coastguard by the fishing vessel Rebecca Janeen which was one mile away.The Rebecca Janeen and another fishing vessel, Ocean Hunter, rushed to the scene and the Mallaig RNLI lifeboat was launched. Two other fishing vessels, Viking Borg and Amethyst overheard the distress call and also headed to the Caralisa to render assistance.The Ocean Hunter was the first to reach the Caralisa, followed by the Rebecca Janeen. In all, four pumps were put onto the Caralisa to try to stop the ingress of water. These pumps managed to stop the water level from getting any higher but it took the arrival of extra pumps from Mallaig Lifeboat for the water level to start receding.Watch Manager, Martin Collins said: The Caralisa is ...

None was wearing lifejackets Falmouth Coastguard this afternoon coordinated the rescue of a seven people from the water off Port Issac.All seven were the crew of a gig that was unable to get back in to Port Issac harbour because of the swell caused by a low spring tide. The Port Issac RNLI Inshore Lifeboat (ILB), which was training in the area, spotted that the gig had got into difficulties and held on to it to stop it being taken further out.None of the gig crew were wearing lifejackets and were only dressed in t-shirts. To protect them Port Issac ILB took lifejackets and warm clothing to them from the RNLI boathouse.Port Issac Coastguard Rescue Team was tasked to monitor the situation from the harbour. Unfortunately with the swell running the gig capsized throwing all seven crew into the water. All were quickly picked up by the ILB but with now nine onboard it was unable to get back in the harbour. Five of the gig crew were transferred to the RNLI Padstow All Weather Lifeboat (ALB) suffering shock, cold and some minor injuries. They were then taken to Treliske hospital by Royal Navy Rescue Helicopter 193 from Culdrose.The remaining ...