American geophysical survey ship, Fugro Americas, last week rescued some 54 persons on a cramped vessel in the Caribbean Sea off the north-eastern coast of Cuba.The vessel , which is currently in Guyana to undertake a two month underwater survey for united States oil company Exxon Mobil , is equipped with recuse boats and equipment and made the Good Samaritan deed which last some 6 hours. The incident occurred on December 8 and those rescued appeared to be Asians, Fugro’s staff noted.
The survey ships’ operation staff member Erick Long stated during a guided tour of the ship yesterday that he was manning the controls at the time when the small, packed vessel was observed chugging along the rough waters of the Caribbean Sea. He said that as the Fugo Americas moved closer, the men onboard the vessel appeared in distress.
Connie Landry, a project manager at Fugro , said that when the smaller vessel was spotted , the captain of the Fugro Americas used a megaphone and attempted to clarify whether the smaller vessel was in distress. Initially, the men on board the smaller vessel indicated that they were ok and they also did not accept an offer of drinking water from the seismic ship.
Landry said the men then informed that they needed to be rescued and emergency procedures were put into action onboard the survey ship. The United States Coastguard was subsequently notified and the Bahamian Navy was also contacted. The incident occurred closer to the Bahamas, Long said.
During the evening on the date of the incident, the men were subsequently transferred to the Bahamas navy vessel which came to assist. “We don’t know where they were going but they did have engine problems”, Landry said. He said that from a maritime perspective, one has a legal obligation to assist persons who are at sea and appear in distress. “And so we did our duty”. Landry noted.
The survey vessel is currently in Guyana to undertake geophysical surveys for oil company Exxon Mobil off the coast of Guyana. The vessel leaves shore this week will be at sea until December 29 when it changes crew.