The USCGC Myrtle Hazard (WPC 1139) crew transferred the tow to a Station Apra Harbor 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew and the Sector Boarding Team offshore of Apra Harbor after a roughly 28 hour transit from the scene for the final 2.5-hour transit leg, arriving at Hagåtña and met by the vessel owner from Saipan, Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency, and other partners.
The mariners’ activation of their Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) at 6:30 a.m. on May 16 allowed the Joint Rescue Sub-Center Guam watch to pinpoint the vessel’s location almost instantly. A U.S. Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules airplane and crew from Air Station Barbers Point, Hawai’i, arrived on scene first using a line of bearing from the EPIRB to fly directly to the vessel, then vectoring in the U.S. Navy MH-60 Knighthawk helicopter crew from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25, who hoisted one mariner to safety by 9:30 a.m.
The Hercules crew remined overhead of the Lucky Harvest until the Myrtle Hazard crew arrived, retrieved the second mariner, and took the vessel safely in tow to Guam. The Sector Boarding Team and conducted a routine post-search-and-rescue boarding on the Lucky Harvest once in port with no negative findings.
Previously reported missing after departing Alamagan Island, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, on May 12, en route to Saipan, the Lucky Harvest crew’s rescue highlights the critical role of EPIRBs.
“The locator beacon enabled our rapid response, bringing the mariners to safety within hours,” said Cmdr. Patton Epperson, search and rescue mission coordinator. “As National Safe Boating Week begins, the U.S. Coast Guard urges mariners to wear lifejacket, carry distress signaling devices, file float plans with family or friends and call for assistance before the situation becomes dire. Thank you to all our partners on this case.”
The search and rescue operation, further supported by the CNMI Department of Public Safety, a U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon airplane and crew from Kadena Air Force Base, and the motor vessel Mama Loling’s crew, occurred amid east winds of 15 knots and seas of up to 6 feet becoming 2 to 3 feet. The cause of the electrical failure and delay in activating the beacon is under review.
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About U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam
U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam ensures maritime safety, security, and prosperity across the Micronesia region while supporting U.S. national interests. Operating under the Department of Homeland Security, the Coast Guard remains a multi-mission force dedicated to protecting U.S. borders, enabling commerce, and fostering regional stability.
