Amver Assists in Rescue of Clipper Venture Sailors

The Amver participating container ship OOCL Tianjin was diverted to assist with the rescue of several crew members from the racing yacht Clipper Venture on Saturday, March 31, 2012. In addition to the Amver vessel, the U.S. Coast Guard dropped supplies by rescue aircraft and sent the Cutter Bertholf which rescued 3 of the injured yachtsmen.

The Hong Kong flagged container ship was 330 miles from the Clipper Venture but agreed to divert and assist. Coast Guard rescue authorities, recognizing the complexity of this rescue, had medical supplies dropped by aircraft and launched the Bertholf to minimize the possibility severely injured sailors would have to climb a pilot or embarkation ladder on the container ship.

When it was certain the Bertholf would be able to reach the Clipper Venture, the Coast Guard released the OOCL Tianjin to continue on its voyage to California.

Here is a video of the rescue taken from the Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf.

The OOCL Tianjin enrolled in Amver on April 5, 2005 and has earned Amver awards the last 12 years.

 

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Release courtesy of AMVER 

Photo credit: marinetraffic.com