Helicóptero resgata três marinheiros náufragos: localizados por um SOS na areia Helicóptero resgata três marinheiros náufragos: localizados por um SOS na areia
Uma mensagem de SOS escrita na areia salvou três marinheiros da Micronésia que estavam presos em uma minúscula ilha no meio do Pacífico. Os naufrágos foram resgatados nesta segunda-feira (3), em uma operação conjunta das marinhas da Austrália e dos Estados Unidos .
O resgate ocoreu na pequena ilha de Pikelot, um pedacinho de terra distante 190 quilômetro do local de onde partiram os marinheiros. Na quinta-feira (30 de julho), eles viajavam em uma pequena embarcação entre as ilhas de Pulawat e Pulap, ambas parte dos Estados Federados da Micronésia, quando perderam o rumo e acabaram sem combustível.
À deriva, eles foram parar na ilhazinha. Como nos filmes, desenharam um SOS na areia, na esperança de serem localizados.
Uma aeronave da Marinha dos EUA, enviada a partir da Base Aérea de Guam para tentar localizar os marinheiros, avistou quase sem querer o sinal. Segundo relatos da tripulação registrados pela rede de TV CNN, eles estavam encerrando o turno de buscas quando tiveram de desviar de nuvens de chuva. Ao fazer a volta, deram de cara com o sinal de SOS.
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Vista da ilha de onde náufragos foram resgatados Vista da ilha de onde náufragos foram resgatados
O navio HMAS Canberra da Marinha da Austrália, que já havia se colocado de prontidão para o resgate, foi mobilizado e enviou helicópteros para checar a identidade e o estado de saúde dos náufragos. Depois disso, eles foram resgatados.
A identidade dos três náufragos não foi divulgada. Eles não tiveram ferimentos graves e apresentam bom estado de saúde.
Veja o vídeo do resgate, publicado pelo Base Aérea de Andersen da Marinha dos EUA, em Guam:
Andersen KC-135 crew locates missing mariners on lone Pacific island
Guardsmen from the 203rd Air Refueling Squadron, Hawaii Air National Guard (ANG) and the 171st Air Refueling Wing, Pennsylvania National Guard deployed here, were the first to locate three missing mariners during a search and rescue mission in the Federated States of Micronesia southeast of Guam, Aug. 2, 2020 (ChST).
On July 29, three mariners aboard a 23-foot white and blue skiff departed Puluwat Atoll intending to travel approximately 21 nautical miles to Pulap, Chuuk. However, they never made it to their destination and were reported missing.
“Joint Rescue Sub-Center Guam received notification of an overdue skiff last seen in the vicinity of Chuuk and requested our assistance,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Shaun McRoberts, 506th Air Expeditionary Aerial Refueling Squadron assistant director of operations. “Once notified, we began immediately working a plan to launch crews to locate the missing vessel.”
Hawaii Air National Guardsmen Lt. Col. Jason Palmeira-Yen, Maj. Byron Kamikawa, Tech. Sgt. Shane Williams along with Pennsylvania Air National Guardsmen Tech. Sgt. Rodney Joseph and Senior Airman Jeremy Williams took off from Andersen AFB in their KC-135 Stratotanker destined to locate the missing vessel.
After almost three hours into their mission and flying at about 1,500 feet, the crew located the mariners on the tiny island of Pikelot, Yap.
“We were toward the end of our search pattern,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Jason Palmeira-Yen, the KC-135 pilot. “We turned to avoid some rain showers and that’s when we looked down and saw an island, so we decide to check it out and that’s when we saw SOS and a boat right next to it on the beach. From there we called in the Australian Navy because they had two helicopters nearby that could assist and land on the island.”
The Royal Australian Navy ship HMAS Canberra (L02) was also in the region and agreed to divert and provide search sorties with embarked helicopters while the FSS Independence departed from Yap to assist.
A helicopter crew from HMAS Canberra delivered supplies to the stranded mariners while a U.S. Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules from Air Station Barbers Point, Hawaii airdropped a radio and message block informing them the FSS Independence was en-route to rescue and return them home.
"Partnerships" said U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Christopher Chase, Coast Guard Sector Guam, commander. "This is what made this search and rescue case successful. Through coordination with multiple response organizations, we were able to save three members of our community and bring them back home to their families.”
At 12 a.m., August 3 (HST), the Independence arrived on scene, launched a small boat crew and rescued the mariners.
By Master Sgt. Richard P. Ebensberger, 36th Wing Public Affairs
United States Air Force, U.S. Pacific Air Forces, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Air Mobility Command, Joint Region Marianas
