| Public Affairs Detachment San Diego, Calif. U.S. Coast Guard |
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| News Release |
Date: Feb. 11, 2009 Contact: PADET San Diego, CA |
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San Diego Coast Guardsmen assist sailor near Panama SAN DIEGO -- An American man sailing solo in a 36-foot vessel was escorted safely to coastal waters off Panama yesterday by the U.S. Coast Guard after the vessel's sails were damaged and fuel ran low 45 miles offshore. The Coast Guard was alerted Saturday evening that the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) on board the sailing vessel Bruja Del Mar had been activated. A Coast Guard C-130 Hercules airplane operating in the area was diverted to the last known position of the vessel and made contact with the person on board, determining the emergency was due to two torn sails and low fuel.
Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton was diverted to assist the man. A rescue and assistance team from the Hamilton transferred fuel to the Bruja Del Mar and determined that the vessel was seaworthy. Two members of the team remained on board the sailing vessel to allow the master to rest. The Hamilton escorted the sailing vessel to coastal waters near Panama and crewmembers were able to repair the sailing vessel's GPS. The Coast Guard strongly urges all mariners to keep a registered 406 MHz EPIRB on board their vessels. In the event of an emergency, an EPIRB can alert search and rescue authorities to the location and identity of the boater in distress in as little as five minutes. It is also vital to keep properly maintained safety equipment on board and to file a float plan with a friend or family member on land before taking to the water. Follow the link for a file photo of Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton: http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php?g2_itemId=81073 ### Saving Lives and Guarding the Coast Since 1790.
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