Press Release

Date:
March 8, 2009 

Contact:
Ricardo Castrodad

Sector San Juan Public Affairs

(787) 510-7923

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Coast Guard rescue crews suspended their search Tuesday afternoon for a man in the water after he was thrown overboard from the fishing vessel Norelis, carrying a total of 14 passengers, that became disabled and capsized Friday, approximately four nautical miles south of Mona Island, Puerto Rico.

The 12 other passengers, originally reported to the Coast Guard as being 11, were transported from Mona Island to the Mayaguez Port, Puerto Rico where they were released to awaiting family members Saturday afternoon.  The 12 survivors were recovered in 10-foot seas and 20-knot winds by two crewmen aboard the good Samaritan vessel Maruca that arrived on scene to provide assistance to the Norelis.

The incident was initially reported to Coast Guard Sector San Juan Joint Rescue Sub Center by the two-man crew aboard the good Samaritan vessel Maruca, who relayed to Coast Guard controllers that they had received a radio communication from the fishing vessel Norelis reporting engine problems and that they were taking on water.  Shortly after the Maruca arrived on scene the Norelis capsized.   The crew of the Maruca reported to Coast Guard controllers that they were not able to recover two of the persons from the capsized vessel.

Coast Guard controllers diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Key Largo to the scene, while Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen launched a HH-65 Dolphin helicopter to search for the two persons in the water. The helicopter crew located a survivor in the water around 8:23 a.m. Friday, deployed their rescue swimmer and hoisted the survivor safely aboard the aircraft.

The helicopter crew transported the survivor to Air Station Borinquen, Aguadilla, where he was transferred to awaiting Emergency Medical Services personnel.  The 12 survivors recovered by the good Samaritan vessel Maruca were transported Friday to Mona Island and transferred to Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources personnel on the island.  After the search efforts were suspended, the Key Largo transported the 12 survivors from Mona Island to the Port of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico Saturday afternoon.

Coast Guard rescue crews completed a total of 10 searches with the Key Largo, HH-65 Dolphin helicopters from Air Station Borinquen and a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Caribbean Air and Marine Branch helicopter spanning out 277 square nautical miles throughout the search area.

Coast Guard Cutter Key Largo is a 110-foot patrol boat homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.