Amidst the chaos of Hurricane Gilma in the Pacific, a distress call from a stranded sailboat sparked a daring rescue mission by the Coast Guard and the US Navy. The sailboat, identified as the French-flagged vessel Albroc, was located 925 miles east of Honolulu, with a woman, her daughter, their pets, and a deceased man on board.
The distress call was received by the Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu, prompting an immediate response. The mother, aged 47, and her 7-year-old daughter, along with their cat and tortoise, found themselves in dire straits due to the inclement weather conditions caused by Hurricane Gilma.
Despite challenging waves up to 6 feet and winds reaching 20 mph, rescue efforts persisted. An airplane crew managed to locate the sailboat and establish visual contact with the distressed passengers. However, initial attempts to communicate were unsuccessful, leading to a multi-day operation involving additional Navy crews.
After several failed attempts due to weather conditions, the USS William P. Lawrence, a guided-missile destroyer, successfully executed the rescue mission. A small boat crew launched from the Navy ship made contact with the sailboat, ultimately saving the woman and child.
Following the rescue, the USS Lawrence arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Honolulu, where the mother and daughter received necessary care. Unfortunately, the body of the deceased man could not be recovered due to the adverse weather conditions.
The circumstances surrounding the man's death and the decision to sail into the hurricane's path remain under investigation by the Coast Guard. At the time of the rescue operation, Hurricane Gilma was located approximately 480 miles east of the vessels, with sustained winds of 110 mph near the storm's center.
Meteorologists reported that Hurricane Gilma continued its westward trajectory, coming within 100 miles of the sailboat post-rescue. The successful outcome of the mission was attributed to meticulous planning, coordination, and teamwork by the rescue teams involved.
Kevin Cooper, the search and rescue mission coordinator, expressed gratitude for the safe rescue of the mother and daughter, emphasizing the critical role played by the Seri Emperor and USS William P. Lawrence in reaching the distressed individuals amidst the turbulent conditions of Hurricane Gilma.
