Coast Guard coordinates rescue of 27 crew members from vessel fire 527 miles off Galapagos Islands

SAN FRANCISCO — The Coast Guard coordinated the rescue of 27 crew members from the Ecuadorian-flagged fishing vessel Drennec after the vessel experienced a fire approximately 527 miles southwest of the Galapagos Islands, Thursday. At approximately 8 p.m. Thursday, Coast Guard Southwest District watchstanders received multiple distress alerts from the Drennec, including an emergency beacon alert and Iridium alert from a Garmin inReach device. Watchstanders established contact with Garmin Response who confirmed that the vessel had caught fire and all 27 crew members had abandoned ship into a life raft.