DECEMBER 9, 2024 — Coast Guard watchstanders and the crew of the tanker ship Orange Ocean coordinated the rescue of a solo boater in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 420 miles north of Puerto Rico, Friday.
Rescued is Kirill Vladimirovich Mikhaylov, 53, resident of St. Kitts and Nevis, who reportedly came in distress aboard the 46-foot sailing vessel Poesterd while transiting from Bermuda to the Eastern Caribbean Island of St. Maarten.
Coast Guard Sector San Juan Command Center watchstanders received an unregistered 406 Emergency Positioning Radio Beacon signal Friday morning alerting of a possible distress approximately 420 miles north of Puerto Rico. Coast Guard watchstanders issued an Enhanced Group Calling and an Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue (AMVER) callout notifying vessels transiting in the vicinity. The Orange Ocean, a Liberia-flagged 557-foot fruit juice tanker, responded to the call for assistance request and diverted to the location of the distress signal.
Once on scene, the tank ship Orange Ocean reported that the sailing vessel Poesterd was on fire and sinking. The Orange Ocean crew launched their rescue boat and safely recovered the boater with no reported medical concerns. The tank ship Orange Ocean is transporting the survivor to a safe-haven location yet to be determined.
“The meticulous coordination and communication between Coast Guard Sector San Juan watchstanders and the AMVER vessel Orange Ocean crew played a crucial role in saving the life of this fortunate boater from the perils at sea,” said Adam Johns, Coast Guard Sector San Juan search and rescue mission coordinator for the case. “This case shows the deep gratitude we have for our AMVER merchant vessels at sea as well as the importance of having the proper emergency equipment when navigating the high seas such as the EPIRB aboard the sailing vessel. Great work to all involved and we are glad we could bring Mr. Vladimirovich Mikhaylov to safety.”
The Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue System, commmonly known as AMVER, was established in 1958 that is sponsored by the United States Coast Guard. AMVER serves as a computer-based voluntary global ship-reporting system used worldwide by search and rescue authorities to arrange for assistance to persons in distress at sea. Any commercial vessel, regardless of nation or flag, over 1,000 gross tons on voyages of 24 hours or greater is encouraged to enroll and participate in Amver. Other vessels such as private yachts, research vessels, and even floating production storage and offloading vessels (FPSOs) can enroll. For more information on how to enroll visit http://www.amver.com and click on “Enrollment.”
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