Coast Guard, good Samaritan rescue mariners 1,700 miles from Bermuda

The mariners informed authorities that their sailing vessel, the 19-foot Lhor One, began taking on water following a lightning strike. (U.S. Coast Guard / Frio Ionian)

In a gripping maritime rescue operation, the U.S. Coast Guard (U.S.USCG) and a vigilant Good Samaritan vessel joined forces to save two stranded boaters nearly 2,000 miles from the nearest shores of Bermuda. The harrowing incident unfolded after a lightning strike left a gaping hole in their vessel, prompting an urgent response from the Coast Guard.

Coast Guard's Swift Response

On Monday, the 505-foot motor vessel Frio Ionian successfully saved two mariners, a 20-year-old male and a 24-year-old male, who were aboard a 19-foot sailing vessel. The U.S. Coast Guard conducted this rescue operation with the Frio Ionian.

The drama began when Virginia's Fifth Coast Guard District command center received an emergency radio beacon signal from the 19-foot sailing vessel Lhor One around 6 p.m. on a fateful Sunday. Instantly, mariners in the North Atlantic Ocean were put on high alert, and the USCG took charge of coordinating the rescue mission.

An HC-130 Hercules airplane from the Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City in North Carolina was swiftly deployed to bolster the operation. The distressed boaters, aged 20 and 24, were en route from Guadeloupe to France when their vessel became incapacitated some 1,726 miles east of Bermuda—an astonishing distance akin to traveling halfway across the continental United States.

Perspective on Distance

Petty Officer 1st Class Starr Franklin provided context, stating, "To put the distance from shore in perspective, the mariners were roughly the same as if you drove from Portsmouth, Virginia, to Odessa, Texas, near the Texas-New Mexico border."

Successful Aircrew Communication

The aircrew aboard the HC-130 Hercules reached the disabled vessel at 4:45 a.m. on Monday and established communication with the stranded mariners. The distressed sailors reported that their boat was taking on water due to the lightning strike-induced hole.

Good Samaritan Intervention

Acting quickly, the aircrew identified a nearby vessel willing to assist—the 505-foot motor vessel Frio Ionian. In this crucial moment, the Frio Ionian crew, acting as the Good Samaritan, reached the stranded boat's location at 10 a.m. The successful coordination between the USCG and the Frio Ionian crew ensured the safe transfer of both men from the Lhor One, with no reported injuries.

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