PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — On Monday July 19, the Joint Search & Rescue Center (JRCC) of the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG) received a request from MRCC Fort de France to assist in the search and rescue for a St. Lucian fishing vessel “GOD’s SON”, which had not returned to St. Lucia.
The RCC immediately launched the Coast Guard patrol plane, the Dash, which flew to the Windward Islands and began the search for the fishing vessel. Within an hour of arrival the Dash patrol plane found the fishing vessel GOD’s SON with three persons on board. The Dash dropped smoke markers in the vicinity of the fishing vessel so that a nearby tanker, the MV ‘SEABORD RANGER, could locate the fishing vessel and rescue the fishermen.
The MV SEABORD RANGER was then requested to divert its course and head to the coordinates of the location of the fishing vessel. The tanker found the fishing vessel, took the three fishermen on board, and headed to St. Lucia. Off Castries Harbor, the fishermen were handed over to the Coast Guard of St. Lucia. None of the men required any medical assistance.
The MRCC Fort de France is the Search & Rescue Center for the Eastern Caribbean Area, under which the Dutch islands of St. Maarten, St. Eustatius and Saba fall in case of search & rescue activities at sea.
