Rescued were boat captain David Kerley, 56, Henry Hofschneider, 37, and Nakazato Takehide, 44, according to Department of Public Safety spokesman Sgt. Thomas A. Blas Jr.
They were all in good condition, Blas said.
On Monday, at about 7 a.m., Blas said Coast Guard Sector Guam chief Lee Putnum reported that its search and rescue helicopter responded to an activated Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacons near Farallon de Mendinilla, north of Saipan.
After the vessel’s location was established, the USCG Cutter Assateqea was launched.
At about 2:30 p.m., Putnum requested the department’s Boating Safety Office to intercept the vessel being towed by Assateqea and to tow it back to Saipan.
Blas said Boating Safety Officers Michael Camacho, Norbert Pua and Jim Sablan launched BSS Zodiac III from Smiling Cove Marina.
BSS Zodiac III headed north and met with Assateqea at about 5:44 p.m., and returned to Smiling Cove at about 7:08 p.m.
Kerley said he and his crew left the marina on Saturday night, and headed north to fish.
The next day, at about 2 p.m., Kerley said they were between Anatahan and Farallon de Mendinilla when they started experiencing engine problems.
“Eventually [the] engine died out and was not able to restart, so [the victims] activated their [Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacons],” Blas said.
