MSC Tug rescues four in Mid-Atlantic
The yacht Bossa Nova II was en route from St. Martin in the Caribbean to Gibraltar when it began to take on water and sink.
USNS Apache was en route the Mediterranean from Norfolk, Va., for duty as the U.S. 6th Fleet towing and salvage ship when she was notified by the U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center in Portsmouth, Va., that the yacht was in trouble.
The weather throughout Apache's voyage had been bad with seas up to 20 feet and strong winds. The ship was just clearing a storm when the call came for any vessel in the vicinity to divert and assist Bossa Nova II. Without hesitation, Apache headed back into the teeth of the storm.
Several hours later, at about 10 p.m., Apache was approaching the sinking yacht. Because of the 12-foot seas and increasing winds, Apache's master Capt. Jose Delfaus opted to slowly come alongside the yacht and its flailing 80-foot mast, keeping the yacht in the lee of the 240-foot long fleet ocean tug.
With one crew member operating the tug's thruster controls, the second mate on the ship's throttles and an experienced helmsman on the ship's wheel, Apache made a slow, controlled and determined approach and was able to eventually pass a line to the sinking yacht. The four very grateful Bossa Nova II crew-members quickly jumped aboard Apache, leaving their yacht to the fate of the sea.
The master of the unfortunate yacht, Capt. G. W. Summerfield, said the rescue experience was "like a John Wayne western movie. The U.S. Navy is tops."
Apache returned to her course for Rota, Spain, where she will drop off her rescued guests and continue on to Naples, Italy.
USNS Apache is 240 feet long, has a beam of 42 feet and carries a crew of 16 Department of Navy civilian mariners and four active duty Navy personnel.
Military Sealift Command is the ocean transportation provider for the Department of Defense. The command, part of the U.S. Navy, operates more than 110 active ships around the world all crewed by civilian mariners with some ships carrying small departments of Navy personnel to assist with military-specific duties.
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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