Six distressed boaters were rescued Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, about 30 miles off the shores of Guam by the U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies.
HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Six Chinese boaters were rescued after their vessel was experiencing difficulties off the shores of Guam.
On Saturday, the U.S. Coast Guard in partnership with Guam Fire Rescue and U.S. Navy Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25 rescued six distressed boaters 30 miles northwest of Guam, the Coast Guard stated in a press release.
The boaters, who were identified as Chinese nationals, were experiencing difficulties such as “the vessel taking on water, and all aboard were wearing personal flotation devices” before the Coast Guard was notified by the Guam Fire Department of the 23-foot recreational vessel being in distress.
The HSC-25 MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter crew located the vessel with all six people still aboard, the Coast Guard said in the release. Due to the critical condition of the vessel, which was taking on water, the rescue crew deemed it unsafe to tow. The 45-foot RB-M crew transferred all six survivors aboard the Coast Guard vessel, ensuring their safety and well-being, the Coast Guard said.
The vessel remains adrift, according to the Coast Guard, and anyone in the area should maintain a sharp lookout to avoid a collision.
As the boaters made it to land, the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Guam Customs and Quarantine were notified. The boaters subsequently were transported to Hågatña, where HSI officials met them for further care and assessment.
“This successful rescue operation highlights the strength of our partnerships and our commitment to saving lives at sea. Working seamlessly with our partners at Guam Fire Rescue, U.S. Navy HSC-25 and other agencies, we ensured a swift and effective response despite the conditions, including scattered showers and 6-foot waves,” Lt. Chelsea Garcia said in the release.
“Our coordinated efforts demonstrate our collective resolve to uphold maritime safety and security,” added Garcia, who was the coordinator for the search and rescue mission.
Illegal entry
The Coast Guard did not indicate if the boaters were attempting to make an illegal landing in Guam. However, in the past year and a half, several people were apprehended by a multiagency task force and the pilots of the vessels were charged in the Superior Court of Guam.
According to court documents, the vessels cost between $20,000 and $30,000 and were purchased together by a group in the Northern Mariana Islands, who made the trip without obtaining clearance to land or notifying the customs agency.
They landed in areas that included Ritidian Point, Tanguisson Beach and the Hagåtña boat basin. They told authorities they sailed to Guam to search for work.
Upon the pilots being charged, they were initially confined at the Department of Corrections, but were later released on cash bail or personal recognizance bonds.
Several of the cases remain active. However, some of the defendants have pleaded guilty to the charges and were given suspended one-year sentences and were ordered to pay $1,000 fines and complete community service hours.