British Royal Navy rescues all 5 crew of stricken Caribbean tug

The British Royal Navy says it not too long ago rescued all 5 crew of an ocean-going tug within the Caribbean Sea when the vessel began to sink in uneven waters.

In a press release on Saturday, the Royal Navy mentioned the HMS Medway – which has a everlasting presence within the area, was conducting her first patrol of the yr when the crew – “plucked the tug crew off the massive barge of sand they’d been towing when their tug started to flood.

“When the vessel’s engines failed, they took refuge on the barge – however not earlier than sending out an SOS round 1:00 p.m. on Friday, 20 miles west of the island of Sint Maarten, close to to the British Abroad Territory of Anguilla,” mentioned the Royal Navy in a press release.

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“Patrol ship HMS Medway along with her 50 crew was little greater than a dozen miles away and picked up the Mayday immediately,” it added.

After consulting with the regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Martinique, the Royal Navy mentioned the ship altered course and elevated pace, reaching the stricken tug and barge in little greater than 20 minutes.

“While we had been cautious, as we made our method to the barge and tug, we had been in a position to reassure the crew and switch them away from the barge safely,” Griffiths mentioned. “They had been vastly grateful.”

The Royal Navy mentioned the five-tug crew weren’t injured however  had been shaken and relieved to be rescued.

“They had been carried again to HMS Medway and have now been handed over to a search and rescue boat from Anguilla, which arrived because the rescue ended,” it mentioned.

“The entire ship’s firm leapt into motion as quickly as we made the choice to reply,” mentioned Lieutenant Commander Carla Higgins, Medway’s govt officer in momentary command of the two,000-tonne patrol ship.

“The swift considering and actions of the group had been unbelievable, and we had been grateful to be conducting routine maritime safety operations within the space to turn into the on-scene commander working with the native authorities and help the crew to security,” he added.

CMC/