A distress call from the fishing vessel Donna Maria was relayed by another vessel to the Coast Guard. The crew of the Donna Maria was instructed to manually activate their 406 MHz EPIRB so that the Coast Guard air crews could track the vessel. The Coast Guard District 1 Rescue Coordination Center launched a fixed wing aircraft and a helicopter to the scene. The fixed wing aircraft arrived on the scene and located the life raft with three people aboard. When the helicopter arrived on the scene. the crew of the helicopter hoisted the three members of the fishing vessel aboard and returned to Air Station Cape Cod. All three members of the fishing vessel were in good condition.
Three SARSAT Rescues
5/23/2008
Bruin Bay, Alaska
Two hunters were adrift in a boat and manually activated their 406 MHz PLB for assistance. The Alaska Rescue Coordination Center received the SARSAT alert and passed the PLB position to the Alaska State Troopers. The State Troopers responded by launching a helicopter which located and assisted the hunters back to camp.
Two SARSAT Rescues
5/22/2008
Bishop, California
Two individuals activated their 406 MHz PLB after one of them broke a leg. They were on Mt. Gilbert. The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center received the SARSAT alert and requested support from the Navy at China Lake. The Navy launched a helicopter and a fixed wing aircraft to locate the PLB. The helicopter located the two individuals. The crew of the helicopter transported the two individuals to the Bishop Airport where they were then transported to the local hospital.
One SARSAT Rescue
5/20/2008
North Bimini Island, Bahamas
Coast Guard District 7 reported the vessel Dream Catcher activated its PLB due to mechanical problems with the vessel. District 7 issued a call for assistance. The vessel Pen Enhancer responded to the request and rescued the two persons on board the disabled vessel.
Two SARSAT Rescues
5/17/2008
Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska
The Anaktuvuk Pass Search and Rescue volunteers were advised of a PLB activation in that area. The Anaktuvuk Pass rescue base called the North Slope Borough (NSB) Search and Rescue in Barrow, Alaska and requested assistance in the rescue. The NSB dispatched a helicopter with a medical team on board. They arrived at the PLB position and found a disabled snow machine and its driver, who was in good health. The helicopter transported him back to Anaktuvuk Pass.
One SARSAT Rescue
5/17/2008
Cuba
Coast Guard District 7 Rescue Coordination Center received a 406 MHz alert from a vessel that was disabled due to loss of fuel. District 7 launched an aircraft which located the vessel and determined that they were out of gas. The aircraft then located a nearby vessel, the tanker Iron Point, and asked for assistance for the disabled vessel. The Iron Point arrived on the scene and supplied the disabled vessel with fuel.
TwoSARSAT Rescues
5/17/2008
Koror, Palau
The sailing vessel Eternity, with one person on board had run aground. Earlier, the Palau Marine Law Enforcement Unit received a mayday from the sailing vessel. Coast Guard Sector Guam Recue Coordination Center contacted the Palau Marine Law Enforcement Unit and provided them the SARSAT location. They rescued the captain of the sailing vessel.
One SARSAT Rescue
5/13/2008
Brunswick, Georgia
The sailing vessel Wolf was taking on water. Coast Guard District 7 Rescue Coordination Center received a SARSAT alert from the disabled vessel. District 7 diverted the Coast Guard cutter Reliance to the scene. The vessel was determined to be unsafe and the four people on board the disabled vessel were taken onto the cutter. There were no injuries and the cutter continued on to Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Four SARSAT Rescues
5/16/2008
Barrow, Alaska
A hunter manually activated his PLB after his snow machine broke down. North Slope Borough(NSB) Search and Rescue was notified about the PLB activation. NSB launched a helicopter to the scene. The crew of the helicopter located the hunter and transported him back to Barrow, Alaska.
One SARSAT Rescue
5/15/2008
Yuma, Arizona
A U.S. Marine aircraft crashed during a training mission. The PLB activated when both pilots ejected from the F-18 aircraft before it crashed. The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) contacted the U.S. Navy which is the registered owner of the 406 MHz PLB. AFRCC personnel also contacted the Yuma Marine Corps Air Station base operations. The Marines launched their own assets and recovered the two pilots and transported them to the hospital for treatment.
Two SARSAT Recues
5/12/2008
Dewey Beach, Delaware
A radio mayday was received from the research vessel, Russell W Peterson, which was taking on water, with two people on board. The captain also manually activated his EPIRB. The LANTAREA RCC launched a helicopter to the SARSAT position. The crew of the helicopter hoisted the two persons on board and transported them to a hospital to be checked. One of the persons passed away at the hospital.
One SARSAT RESCUE
5/8/2008
Matagorda Island, Texas
The owner/operator of the fishing vessel Cookie Diana manually activated his 406 MHz EPIRB due to a fire on board. The two people on board abandoned their vessel into a life raft. Coast Guard District 8 Recue Coordination Center received the SARSAT alert and notified Air Station Corpus Christi who in turn launched a helicopter. Station Port O'Connor launched a 41 foot boat to the scene. The Coast Guard boat arrived on scene and located the two persons in a life raft. The helicopter later arrived and hoisted the two people from the life raft and transported them to Spohn Memorial Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas.
