By Maggie Johnson
December 11, 2024
Image Credit: “Orange Ocean-vesseljoin,” available at Yahoo Images (12/11/2024).
On Friday, the U.S. Coast Guard and the crew of the orange juice tanker Orange Ocean successfully rescued a solo sailor in distress 420 miles north of Puerto Rico.
Kirill Vladimirovich Mikhaylov, a 53-year-old resident of St. Kitts and Nevis, was attempting a solo voyage from Bermuda to St. Maarten aboard his 46-foot sailing vessel Poesterd when disaster struck. A signal from an unregistered Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) alerted Coast Guard Sector San Juan watchstanders early Friday morning, prompting an immediate response.
The Coast Guard issued an Enhanced Group Call and an Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue (AMVER) alert to nearby ships. The Orange Ocean, a 557-foot Liberia-flagged juice tanker, answered the call and diverted course to assist.
Upon arrival, the tanker crew found the Poesterd engulfed in flames and sinking. In a remarkable display of bravery, the crew launched their rescue boat and safely retrieved Mikhaylov, who escaped unharmed. The tanker is now transporting him to a safe location, yet to be determined.
Adam Johns, the search and rescue mission coordinator for Coast Guard Sector San Juan, commended the seamless coordination between the Coast Guard and the AMVER network. “The instrumental role of the AMVER network, along with the Orange Ocean crew, was pivotal in saving this boater from the dangers of the open sea,” Johns said.
Johns also emphasized the importance of emergency equipment like EPIRBs. “This case underscores the critical need for proper emergency tools and our deep appreciation for AMVER merchant vessels at sea,” he added.
The rescue highlights the essential partnership between the Coast Guard and the AMVER network, a global system that enlists merchant ships to assist in search and rescue operations. The network, crucial to ensuring maritime safety, played a key role in coordinating the Orange Ocean's response to the emergency.
The Orange Ocean, built in 2014 and managed by Atlanship S.A., specializes in transporting refrigerated fruit juices in bulk. Its timely response and swift action exemplify the unwavering dedication of merchant vessels to safeguarding lives at sea, providing a sense of security to all who traverse the oceans.
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