Hoegh-Brasilia

The crew of the 'Hoegh Brasilia', enroute from Auckland to Hitachinaka, rescued five mariners on March 12, 2021, who were missing since March 9 near Houk Island, Chuuk. Coast Guard, Air Force and Federated States of Micronesia responders assisted in the safe return of the five men who had gone fishing on a 23-foot skiff. After Joint Rescue Sub-Center Guam got notification at 7:15 p.m. on March 11 that the skiff was overdue, the watchstanders issued a broadcast to mariners. The Coast Guard deployed an HC-130 Hercules plane from Air Station Barbers Point and diverted the CG Cutter 'Myrtle Hazard'. The watchstanders also asked for volunteer commercial vessels in the area to assist in the search. On March 12, an Andersen Air Force Base on Guam sent out a KC-135 Stratotanker crew, which found the mariners 50 miles southwest of the Polusuk Atoll. The plane stayed on scene until the Coast Guard C-130 crew arrived and deployed an SAR kit with food, water and handheld radios. The 'Hoegh Brasilia' arrived shortly thereafter and recovered all the crewmen, and sub-center directed the vessel to proceed to Houk Island, and remain off-shore overnight. The Cutter 'Myrtle Hazard' escorted the skiff back to the island the next morning.