The US navy vessel ‘USNS Trenton’ (T-EPF 5) conducted a passenger transfer of 41 people with ships from the Italian Coast Guard off the coast of the island of Lampedusa, Italy, on 17 June. Trenton had encountered a vessel carrying the 41 people in distress while underway in the Mediterranean Sea, on 12 June.
During the operation, the Trenton crew initially observed approximately 12 bodies in the water that appeared to be unresponsive. The crew prioritized in recovering those who needed immediate help.
Rigid-hull inflatable boats and a fast rescue boat conducted a follow-on search for these bodies, but could not locate them or any additional persons at the scene.
After bringing them aboard the ship, the Trenton crew cared for their temporary passengers, providing them with food, water, clothing and basic medical care. Susan Orsini, ship master aboard Trenton, said:
The pivotal role the shore side units and personnel play in a rescue at sea cannot be minimized; the ship cannot do it alone. Their efforts involve intense and intricate coordination, timely and critical communications to all units and personnel involved. The reward for our efforts was seeing the rescued personnel transferred, in good spirits and good health, heading to their next destination.
US 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied, joint, and interagency partners, in order to advance US national security, and stability in Europe and Africa.
