PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – A fishing vessel that became stranded after running out of fuel was safely brought back to Sint Maarten following a coordinated rescue operation involving the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard and the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Fort-de-France, Martinique.
The incident began when the MRCC in Fort-de-France received mayday distress calls from the fishing vessel via VHF Channel 16. Although the distress alerts were received, communication with the vessel could not be established and its exact location remained unknown.
Family members of the captain set out by boat to search for the vessel but were unable to find it. A nearby tanker later spotted the drifting fishing boat but was unable to tow it to safety. Instead, the tanker’s captain relayed the vessel’s position to the MRCC in Fort-de-France, which immediately notified the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard that the vessel was approximately 9.5 nautical miles southwest of Sint Maarten.
Using the reported position, the Coast Guard dispatched a Metal Shark patrol vessel, which located the fishing boat and towed it safely to the Coast Guard pier in Sint Maarten.
Both people on board were reported to be in good health and arrived safely ashore.
