Amver and a U.S. Coast Guard Cutter team up to rescue three people off Costa Rica

U.S. Coast Guard authorities at the Eleventh District Rescue Coordination Center diverted the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Northland and the Amver bulker Avra.GR after rescue personnel in Costa Rica requested assistance with a vessel fire and three people in the water approximately 150 miles south of Gulfito, Costa Rica on Tuesday, August 17, 2021.

The cutter Northland deployed it's rescue helicopter which located the vessel in distress while the Northland crew launched an over the horizon rescue boat to safely embark the three survivors. The survivors were then transferred to the Marshall Island flagged bulker Avra.GR. The Avra.GR will disembark the survivors in Costa Rica.

The 587-foot Amver ship was only 58 miles away from the distress location when it was identified by rescue authorities and asked to assist. The Avra.GR, managed by M/Maritime of Greece, enrolled in Amver on June 10, 2016 and has earned two Amver participation awards.

Updated August 23, 2021: The Avra.GR is managed by M/Maritime of Greece.

Photo credit: USCG Photo

Amver Bulker Rescues Person Adrift At Sea

The Amver participating bulker SBI Hermes rescued a lone survivor in the Alboran Sea after a crewmember spotted him clinging to debris and waving for help on July 13, 2021.

The Liberian flagged ship immediately notified rescue personnel at MRCC Tarifa and prepared the ship and crew for rescue operations. Within 30 minutes of locating the person in the water the crew skillfully maneuvered and positioned the 652-foot ship in the best position to recover the survivor.

The crew successfully recovered the survivor who was weak and had difficulty speaking. He was quickly transferred to the ship's hospital where he was given food, dry clothes and Covid-19 precautions were implemented. Rescue authorities were notified and a plan was formed to disembark him on a rescue craft.

The survivor, a Moroccan national, was safely transferred to a local rescue boat the following day. The SBI Hermes continued on its voyage.

The SBI Hermes, managed by Scorpio Commercial Management of Monaco, enrolled in Amver on February 17, 2016 and has earned six Amver participation awards.

Photo credit: Crew of the SBI Hermes

Two Amver Ships Assist In Rescue Of German Sailor

Rescue authorities in Boston used the Amver to divert two ships to rescue a 81-year old German sailor after his sailboat became disabled 340 miles southeast of Cape Cod, Mass. on June 15, 2021.

The sailor, aboard a 36-foot sailboat that suffered damage including losing its mast, notified the U.S. Coast Guard who launched a rescue aircraft and, utilizing the Amver search and rescue system, diverted the Amver ships Tysla and Mare Picenum to assist the sailor.

The crew of the rescue aircraft was able to locate the sailboat and provide its precise location to the Amver ships. The Maltese-flagged Tylsa provided communications while the 898-foot Italian flagged Mare Picenum began preparing for rescue operations and lowered a ladder to embark the lone sailor. The Mare Picenum was only 25 miles away from the distress location.

The crew of the Mare Picenum was able to safely embark the sailor and provided him dry clothing and food. He remained aboard the ship until it reached its next port of call. 

"Seafarers are force multipliers in any search and rescue case," said Benjamin Strong, AMVER director, for the Coast Guard. "The heroic efforts to rescue the German yachtsman are in keeping with the highest tradition of mariners helping mariners. The actions taken by the crew of Mare Picenum reinforce the relevance and importance of the Coast Guard Amver system, and the role it plats in global search and rescue."

The Tysla, managed by Wilhelmssen Ship Management of Norway, enrolled in Amver on February 23, 2012 and has earned ten Amver participation awards. The Mare Picenum, managed by Teekay Tankers Chartering of Canada, enrolled in Amver on October 3, 2011 and has earned three Amver participation awards.

Photo credit: USCG