Cruise ship joins Amver and assists in rescue within a month

One month after enrolling in the Amver program, the cruise ship Norwegian Breakaway was called upon to assist a 27 foot sailboat adrift near New York City.

On Sunday, June 16, 2013 U.S. Coast Guard rescue authorities in New York City received a distress call from a 27 foot pleasure craft in the Jones, Inlet. The boat had four people on board and was dead in the water.The crew was unable to drop an anchor and the crew was requesting Coast Guard assistance.

Rescue personnel at U.S. Coast Guard Sector New York located the Norwegian Breakaway near the last known position of the small craft and asked the sailors to launch a flare. The crew of the Norwegian Breakaway saw the flare and sailed to the position of the disabled vessel. Norwegian Breakaway gave the Coast Guard the exact coordinates of the disabled boat and, once additional rescue resources were on the way, sailed on to its destination.

The Coast Guard sent a helicopter from Air Station Atlantic City using the coordinates provided by the cruise ship and found the disabled boat. A 47 foot response boat from Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook then located the disabled boat and towed it to shore.

The Bahamian flagged cruise ship, managed by Norwegian Cruise Lines, enrolled in Amver on May 9, 2013. This is its first call to action.

Photo credit: marinetraffic.com