United States Transportation Command

MSC-chartered ship saves two

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WASHINGTON (USTCNS) --- After fighting treacherous sea conditions for a week, two British nationals are back on dry land thanks to Military Sealift Command-chartered ship MV Putney Bridge.

While on her way from Sunny Point, N.C., to Rota, Spain, Putney Bridge was diverted March 2 to rescue two young mariners stranded aboard their 28-foot sailing vessel, SV High Noon, about 1,500 nautical miles off the coast of Virginia Beach, Va.

According to High Noon's skipper, Nicholas Nicholson, he and his friend, Dean Williams had spent an entire week in treacherous weather with winds up to 80 knots and 100-foot seas before Putney Bridge came along.

High Noon had lost her sails and tackle and had capsized twice while trying to make her way from Saint Martin, British Virgin Islands, to South Hampton, Va.

Nicholson had been sending a mayday signal since Feb. 28 at which point he activated the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon.

Capt. Alexander Derevymchuk, master of MV Putney Bridge, and his crew fought 20-foot seas and 30-knot winds to reach High Noon's distress position and provide assistance. Within hours, Putney Bridge maneuvered alongside the distressed vessel and safely rescued the two mariners.

Despite their ordeal, Nicholson was in relatively good condition, and Williams was only slightly injured with bruises on his legs and back. Putney Bridge's crew provided the necessary first aid and took the mariners to Rota.

As a result of this heroic rescue, Capt. William Bennett, USCG, of the Coast Guard Marine Safety Office, Wilmington, N.C., presented Capt. Derevymchuk and Putney Bridge's crew with an Automated Merchant Vessel Emergency Reporting System Public Service Commendation Award.

Military Sealift Command routinely charters ships for the point to point transfer of Department of Defense cargo. MSC is the ocean transportation provider for the DoD. The command, part of the U.S. Navy, operates more than 110 active ships around the world.

Ship missions vary from the transport and afloat prepositioning of defense cargo; to underway replenishment and other direct support to Navy ships at sea; to at-sea data collection for the U.S. military and other U.S. government agencies. (FROM MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS).

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