Dramatic rescue in South Pacific

Feb 10, 2010 0 Comments by nathan

HONOLULU - The fishing vessel Hou Chun 11 burns 900 miles southwest of Honolulu, Feb. 8, 2010. Coast Guard crews from Hawaii and Alaska responded to the 28-member crew of the fishing vessel and provided medical assistance. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Air Station Barbers Point.

The U.S. Coast Guard has completed a dramatic rescue of 28 crew members from the Taiwanese-flagged F/V Hou Chun 11 in the Pacific Ocean, just North of Kingman Reef, approximately 1000 NM South of Hawaii.  The fishing vessel caught fire, forcing the 28 crew members to abandon ship into liferafts.  There are reports of several crew members suffering burns from the incident, but it appears all have survived.  The rescue was conducted by the Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley and with air support from a U.S. Navy P-3 and a Coast Guard C-130 from Air Station Barbers Point in Hawaii.

HONOLULU - Life rafts from the disabled fishing vessel Hou Chun 11 float 900 miles southwest of Honolulu, Feb. 8, 2010. Coast Guard crews from Hawaii and Alaska responded to the 28-member crew and provided medical assistance. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Air Station Barbers Point.

Coast Guard Press Release:

Coast Guard crews have located the 28-member crew of the disabled fishing vessel Hou Chun 11 early Tuesday morning and are providing medical care to injured crew members.

Corpsmen aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley are treating two Hou Chun 11 crew members who are reported to have suffered burns. The Alex Haley will transit to Christmas Island, Kiribati, where the two burn victims are scheduled to be medically evacuated.

The Alex Haley arrived on scene at approximately 3 a.m. Tuesday. A Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point HC-130 Hercules aircrew remained on scene after the Alex Haley arrived to coordinate the exact position of the life rafts.

Coast Guard and U.S. Navy aircrews remained on scene throughout the night.

The cause of the fire remains unknown.

Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center watchstanders received the call here Monday at 7:30 a.m. about a fire aboard the fishing vessel Hou Chun 11 and launched a Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules at 10 a.m. to the vessel’s location 900 miles southwest of Honolulu. The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley, homeported in Kodiak, Alaska, and a U.S. Navy P-3 aircrew also responded to the call.

The Coast Guard posted a short video of the liferafts -

(PACIFIC OCEAN) -- The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley rescues 28-members of the Taiwan-flagged fishing vessel Hou Chun 11, two of which were suffering from significant burns, 900 miles southwest of Honolulu, Feb. 9, 2010, after a shipboard fire forced the crew to abandon ship into liferafts in 35 mph winds and 8 to 10 foot seas. The crew of the Alex Haley is transporting the crew to Christmas Island, Kiribati, where the two injured crewmen will be medevaced by Coast Guard C-130 to advanced medical facilities in Honolulu Wednesday afternoon and the remaining crewmen will board another fishing vessel to return to Taiwan. U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of the Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley.

(PACIFIC OCEAN) -- The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley rescues 28-members of the Taiwan-flagged fishing vessel Hou Chun 11, two of which were suffering from significant burns, 900 miles southwest of Honolulu, Feb. 9, 2010, after a shipboard fire forced the crew to abandon ship into liferafts in 35 mph winds and 8 to 10 foot seas. The crew of the Alex Haley is transporting the crew to Christmas Island, Kiribati, where the two injured crewmen will be medevaced by Coast Guard C-130 to advanced medical facilities in Honolulu Wednesday afternoon and the remaining crewmen will board another fishing vessel to return to Taiwan. U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of the Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley.

(PACIFIC OCEAN) -- The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley rescues 28-members of the Taiwan-flagged fishing vessel Hou Chun 11, two of which were suffering from significant burns, 900 miles southwest of Honolulu, Feb. 9, 2010, after a shipboard fire forced the crew to abandon ship into liferafts in 35 mph winds and 8 to 10 foot seas. The crew of the Alex Haley is transporting the crew to Christmas Island, Kiribati, where the two injured crewmen will be medevaced by Coast Guard C-130 to advanced medical facilities in Honolulu Wednesday afternoon and the remaining crewmen will board another fishing vessel to return to Taiwan. U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of the Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley.

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nathan

About the author

Nathan Menefee is an active duty Lieutenant serving in the U.S. Coast Guard, stationed in the San Francisco Bay area. He also holds an Unlimited Third Mate's License, and possesses a QMED and Tankerman PIC endorsement. He is a 2002 graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

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