The merchant vessel BAKER SPIRIT successfully rescued a long-distance rower who had been adrift in the remote reaches of the South Pacific for three weeks. The rescue operation took place approximately 1,210 nautical miles north of Tahiti.
On May 28th at 6:30 AM, the Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) New Zealand received a distress notification regarding the ocean rowing boat named “Smiles,” which was carrying only one person and had lost battery power, navigation systems, and communication equipment while crossing the South Pacific.
The stranded individual was identified as Aaron Carotta, the long-distance rower who was undertaking the Pacific journey on his boat, “Smiles.” He had been documenting his journey on social media, and it was his concerned fans who alerted the rescue center about his predicament.
RCC New Zealand immediately contacted RCC Alameda, requesting assistance, and as a result, two merchant vessels, the Voyager and the Mandalay, were diverted to aid in the search for the stranded mariner. On May 31st, JRCC Tahiti assumed primary responsibility for the rescue operation, redirecting three nearby merchant vessels to join in the search for the boat.
An Air Station Barbers Point HC-130 Hercules helicopter, along with its full crew, which was already involved in a separate mission, deviated from its original path and flew for four hours to search for the boat near its last known location. They successfully located the boat and its master, and conducted airdrops of supplies and equipment. Around 1:08 PM on June 16th, the tanker BAKER SPIRIT recovered the mariner, and they are currently en route to Oahu, where the rower will be safely brought ashore.
The opinions expressed herein are the author’s and not necessarily those of News2Sea.
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