SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO - A U.S. citizen was rescued Wednesday by the crew of a fishing vessel after being located by a Dutch aircraft approximately 38 nautical miles west of Grenada, after he had gone missing Monday while sailing a Hobbie Cat in the vicinity of Glover Island, Grenada.

Dempsey Holleron, 58, a native of Pennsylvania, went sailing out of True Blue Bay Resort in Grenada with his sons; John, 28, Joseph, 20, Jessie, 17 and his daughter; Jennifer, 13.

At approximately 2:30 p.m. the Holleron family rented two Hobbie Cats and went sailing from True Blue Bay Resort. About two hours later, John and Jennifer were dropped off by their father at a beach in Point Salines, Grenada.  Dempsey was last seen by John and Jennifer as they watched their father sail out from Point Salines on his own.

At 8 p.m. John and Jennifer reported to security at the Grenada School of Medecine, that their father and brothers were overdue to arrive.

The second Hobbie Cat manned by Joseph and Jessie Holleron capsized on the lee shore of Glovers Island, Grenada, where they were found and rescued Monday at 10:50 p.m. by coast guard Grenada.

The U.S. Coast Guard Joint Rescue Sub Center (JRSC) assumed Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator responsibilities, planning and coordinating the search for Holleron.   The crew of a Dutch Fokker 60 aircraft, provided by Rescue Coordination Center Curacao, spotted Holleron still aboard the 16-foot Hobbie Cat Wednesday.

The crews of a U.S. Coast Guard HU-25 Falcon jet from Air Station Miami, Fla. and the Fokker 60 located a nearby fishing vessel, the Chinca I, and obtained their assistance in rescuing Holleron.  The Chinca I was directed to the Hobbie Cat's position, where they recovered Holleron who was slightly dehydrated but in otherwise good health.

RCC Trinidad and Tobago, the initial Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator in this case, coast guard Grenada and the Regional Security System Air Wing based in Barbados were also actively engaged in the joint effort to find Holleron.  These agencies provided communications support and several search and rescue platforms including a C-26 aircraft and rigid hull inflatable boats.

"This rescue was a success thanks to the outstanding cooperation and communication between all the different agencies, countries and good samaritan vessels involved in the search for Mr. Holleron," said Lt. Cmdr. James Langevin, Chief, Sector San Juan Joint Rescue Sub Center.  "I'm proud of the determination displayed by JRSC personnel on watch.  They showed great ingenuity and instincts in planning the searches and coordinating the rescue, overcoming the challenges inherent to dealing with a search and rescue site more than 400 miles away."

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