A three-person family stranded in a vessel in Micronesia for a week was rescued Monday by the U.S. Coast Guard.
The service announced Tuesday that search and rescue operations conducted by the Legend-class cutter USCGC Midgett (WMSL 757) crew located the family—two men and one woman—in a 23-foot single-outboard skiff floating in the waters off the coast of Chuuk State, the most populous of the four Micronesia states that compose the country and its more than 600 islands in the Pacific Ocean.
The operation was kickstarted by a report issued Easter Sunday from authorities in the Federated States of Micronesia and the U.S. Embassy, warning that the vessel was overdue. Midgett is stationed in Honolulu, Hawaii.
"National Security Cutter crews spend most of their time executing maritime law enforcement missions, often with our international partners,” Capt. Brian Whisler, commanding officer of Midgett, said in a statement. “SAR [search and rescue] cases like this one are not routine for our platform."
Our bridge watchstanders spotted the small skiff in rough seas just after midnight, and that kind of situational awareness does not happen by accident. It is what this crew trains for, and I could not be prouder of how they performed.
The family departed Fananu Island on March 30 for what was described as a short passage to Murillo Island, though they never reached their destination after a single outboard engine failed and left them stranded in open seas. The predicted search area reportedly exceeded 14,000 square nautical miles in rough seas, with waves reaching 10 feet.
All passengers onboard came away unscathed and were safely delivered to Weno, in Chuuk State, for further transport to Fananu Island.
Jennifer Johnson, U.S. Ambassador to the Federated States of Micronesia, said in a statement that the mission “exemplifies the spirit of cooperation and mutual support at the heart of the Compact of Free Association, underscoring how our close relations translate into real, life-saving outcomes for our people.”
A 14,000-Square-Mile Search
The operation was a total team effort.
It involved watchstanders from the U.S. Coast Guard Joint Rescue Sub-Center Guam at U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam who developed the search patterns and coordinated with U.S. Coast Guard District Oceania and Air Station Barbers Point personnel.
They collectively worked together to launch an HC-130 Hercules airplane and crew from Hawaii to support the search, direct the launch of the USCGC Frederick Hatch (WPC 1143) crew from Guam.
The Midgett crew, which is scheduled to engage with regional partners and participate in joint operations to enhance maritime safety and security in the Indo-Pacific, was already conducting a Western Pacific patrol.
They diverted their plans and followed a bilateral maritime law enforcement, boarding with two embarked officers from Micronesia in their exclusive economic zone, approximately 200 nautical miles south of Fananu Island.
“This rescue reflects the strategic value of maintaining a capable surface presence across the region's vast maritime expanse,” Lt. Cmdr. Derek Wallin, the U.S. Coast Guard search and rescue mission coordinator, said in a statement. “Without the Midgett's proximity, coordinating a search across more than 14,000 square nautical miles of open ocean would have required significantly more time and resources—time the three missing people may not have had.”
Midgett, when deployed to the region, is assigned to Destroyer Squadron 15—the Navy's largest DESRON and the U.S. 7th Fleet's principal surface force, regularly assuming tactical control of surface units operating in the area.
