Coast Guard coordinates rescue of French mariner near Bermuda

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 07/18/2019 12:48 PM EDT

united states coast guard 

News Release  

U.S. Coast Guard 5th District Mid-Atlantic
Contact: 5th District Public Affairs
Office: (757) 398-6272
After Hours: (757) 434-7712
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Coast Guard coordinates rescue of French mariner near Bermuda

Pictured here is the sailboat that sank near Bermuda, leading to the rescue of the French mariner by the container ship Nevzat Kalkavan, July 17, 2019. The Nevzat Kalkavan was contacted through their involvement with the Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue (AMVER) System. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

Editors' Note: Click on images to download high resolution version.

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Coast Guard personnel coordinated the rescue of a French mariner 600 miles off the coast of Bermuda using the Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue (AMVER) System, Wednesday. 

Watchstanders at the Fifth Coast Guard District command center received the initial report from the Rescue Coordination Center Gris Nez at approximately 2:25 a.m., that the sailboat of a French mariner had struck a submerged object and was taking on water, forcing him to abandon ship in his dingy. 

The Fifth District command center activated the AMVER System to alert good Samaritan vessels to the emergent situation. The container ship Nevzat Kalkavan, one of four merchant ships in the area that answered the call, brought the mariner safely aboard. 

"Without the support of the four merchant vessels who voluntarily responded to assist, the mariner could have perished at sea due to the distance offshore," said Lt. Daniel Dunn, Command Duty Officer for the Fifth Coast Guard District command center. "These vessels have all enrolled in AMVER, which is a lifesaving program where commercial mariners volunteer to aid distressed persons and vessels at sea."

-USCG-