Canadian Coast Guard Completes Long-Range Rescue in North Pacific

The Canadian Coast Guard has completed a long-distance mission to rescue three people from a disabled trimaran yacht in the middle of the North Pacific.

On June 18, the crew of the sailing trimaran Mizuya made a mayday call to report that they had lost rudder control and were no longer able to maintain heading. The call was fielded by U.S. Coast Guard Arctic District's command center, which reached out to nearby merchant ships in hopes of finding a good Samaritan vessel that could divert and assist. However, according to the Coast Guard, the 15-foot wave height and strong winds on scene made it impractical to arrange a safe rescue by merchant mariners.

Instead, the Canadian Coast Guard cutter Sir Wilfrid Laurier diverted to the scene, transiting more than 500 nautical miles. The Laurier arrived at Mizuya's position - some 825 nm to the southwest of Adak, in the midst of a vast stretch of remote ocean - on Friday evening. They safely retrieved the crew of the Mizuya, and they marked the vessel's hull with the word "Safe" in red spraypaint to indicate to any passing vessels that the drifting yacht had been fully evacuated. All of the survivors were found in good health.

"Despite the considerable distances involved, the Canadian Coast Guard crew, along with Fisheries and Oceans Canada Fishery Officers and Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers, performed exceptionally well in carrying out a successful marine rescue approximately 5,000 kilometers from the Laurier’s home port of Victoria, B.C.," said CCG assistant commissioner Derek Moss in a statement.

Wilfrid Laurier later transferred the survivors to the Japan Coast Guard patrol vessel Kurikoma at sea. The JCG vessel will deliver them safely back to Japan.

Mizuya is a 40-foot trimaran fitted with a center daggerboard and all-electric propulsion, according to her builder. The yacht's ultimate fate is unknown, but images from the scene suggest that it was abandoned in an intact state.