The British Royal Navy says it recently rescued all five crew of an ocean-going tug in the Caribbean Sea when the vessel started to sink in choppy waters.
In a statement on Saturday, the Royal Navy said the HMS Medway – which has a permanent presence in the region, was conducting her first patrol of the year when the crew – “plucked the tug crew off the large barge of sand they had been towing when their tug began to flood.
“When the vessel’s engines failed, they took refuge on the barge – but not before sending out an SOS around 1:00 p.m. on Friday, 20 miles west of the island of Sint Maarten, near to the British Overseas Territory of Anguilla,” said the Royal Navy in a statement.
“Patrol ship HMS Medway with her 50 crew was little more than a dozen miles away and picked up the Mayday straight away,” it added.
After consulting with the regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Martinique, the Royal Navy said the ship altered course and increased speed, reaching the stricken tug and barge in little more than 20 minutes.
“Whilst we were cautious, as we made our approach to the barge and tug, we were able to reassure the crew and transfer them clear of the barge safely,” Griffiths said. “They were hugely grateful.”
The Royal Navy said the five-tug crew were not injured but were shaken and relieved to be rescued.
“They were carried back to HMS Medway and have now been handed over to a search and rescue boat from Anguilla, which arrived as the rescue ended,” it said.
“The whole ship’s company leapt into action as soon as we made the decision to respond,” said Lieutenant Commander Carla Higgins, Medway’s executive officer in temporary command of the 2,000-tonne patrol ship.
“The swift thinking and actions of the team were fantastic, and we were thankful to be conducting routine maritime security operations in the area to become the on-scene commander working with the local authorities and assist the crew to safety,” he added.
CMC/
