Gant-Nerea

The US Coast Guard coordinated the rescue of seven crew members of the 'Blue Dragon' after their ship caught fire in the morning of Nov 10, 2021, approximately 350 miles west of Monterey. 11th Coast Guard District command center watchstanders received multiple emergency position-indicating radio beacon and personal location beacon alerts belonging to the fishing vessel around 12:20 a.m. and coordinated the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento C-27 Spartan aircrew at 1:30 a.m. Using the Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System (AMVER), Coast Guard watchstanders issued a request for assistance, and the 'Nord Rubicon', located 80 miles northwest of the alert location, responded that they were willing to divert and assist the distressed mariners with an ETA as of approximately 8 a.m. The C-27 aircrew arrived on scene at 3:21 a.m. and reported the 'Blue Dragon', was on fire, and survivors were aboard a life raft nearby. The aircrew reported that the castaways were signaling the aircraft using a flashlight, and in response the aircrew deployed a flare along with a self locating datum marker buoy (SLDMB). A second Air Station Sacramento C-27 Spartan aircrew was launched at 8 a.m. The 'Nord Rubicon' crew arrived on scene at 9:30 a.m. and retrieved the seven crewmembers from the life raft. All crewmembers were accounted for and no injuries were reported. The 'Nord Rubicon' was en route from Nghi Son to San Francisco and continued its voyage with the castaways on board with an ETA as of Nov 11.