By SDCN Staff
San Diego, CA–The U.S. Coast Guard coordinated the rescue of an overdue 86-year-old man and his dog Wednesday following a multi-day search approximately 460 miles off San Diego.
Coast Guard Pacific Area watchstanders received a report Octobert 24, of an overdue mariner aboard the sailing vessel Willow Wind, while en route from Astoria, Oregon, to Pago Pago, American Samoa. The mariner had not been heard from since Aug. 20.
Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center Alameda received an alert Tuesday afternoon from an emergency position-indicating radio beacon registered to Willow Wind. Watchstanders coordinated the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento C-27 Spartan aircrew and diverted an HC-130 Hercules aircrew and the Coast Guard Cutter Robert Ward (WPC 1130), and requested assistance from nearby vessels.
The Spartan aircrew located the Willow Wind Tuesday evening. The motor vessel Grand Orion, responded to assist and arrived on scene at approximately 3:20 a.m. Wednesday morning, but was initially unable to safely rescue the mariner due to rough seas.
The Grand Orion crew rescued the mariner and his dog from the sailboat at 5:36 p.m. on Wednesday which had damaged sails and was left adrift.
A Coast Guard Air Station San Diego MH-60 Jayhawk aircrew Thursday hoisted the mariner and his dog from the Grand Orion approximately 170 miles west of Ventura, California, and transported them to Coast Guard Sector San Diego. Emergency medical personnel transported the mariner to Scripps Mercy Hospital for further evaluation.
“We are grateful to the merchant mariners and Coast Guard crews whose coordinated efforts brought this search to a successful conclusion,” said Coast Guard Cmdr. Jason Nguyen, Southwest District command center chief. “This case highlights the importance of carrying emergency communication equipment and creating a float plan so someone ashore knows your voyage plans.”
