USS McClusky Rescues 169 People on the High Seas
Navy Newsstand
Story Number: NNS040109-03
Release Date: 1/9/2004 12:31:00 PM
By Ensign Michael Shine, USS McClusky Public Affairs
ABOARD USS MCCLUSKY, At Sea (NNS) -- USS McClusky's (FFG 41) swift response saved the lives of 169 people aboard two distressed vessels in the Eastern Pacific, while on a counter-drug deployment to U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command Area of Operations.
After receiving distress reports, the frigate headed toward the last known position of the closest vessel at 30 knots (approximately 36 mph) to investigate and assist. Once within 100 miles of the last known position, McClusky launched its helicopter to conduct a search from the air. The pilots spotted the first vessel, The Andrea, and radioed to McClusky to close distance. The helicopter then continued its search for the second vessel.
McClusky arrived at The Andrea, a small fishing vessel overcrowded with 86 migrants, men, women and children. While McClusky's crew was providing medical attention aboard The Andrea, the helicopter found the second vessel, San Luis. The pilots instructed San Luis to head toward the direction of McClusky.
San Luis, with 83 migrants aboard, had been at sea for 15 days and had been without food and water for the last three. In addition, the boat was taking on water. McClusky provided around-the-clock assistance for three consecutive days, attempting repairs to the vessel to prevent the flooding. The crew of McClusky continuously dewatered San Luis, while also treating the migrants for sunburns and dehydration.
"Helping people who are in need is why I came in the Navy as a corpsman to start with," said Chief Hospital Corpsman Kenneth Porter. "Being the Independent Duty Corpsman on board gave me the opportunity to literally lay hands and eyes on every migrant personally, and treat them. It is not to often that any practitioner gets to personally treat 169 people suffering from dehydration, malnutrition, exposure and various other illnesses in a matter of days."
McClusky's food service division, in addition to preparing meals for the nearly 250 crew members, prepared additional food for all 169 Ecuadorian migrants.
The small vessels, however, became very unstable as the weather conditions deteriorated. Winds increased to almost 20 knots, with the seas at 5 feet. McClusky requested permission from higher authority to bring all 169 migrants aboard as the weather was worsening. Several hours later, all 169 were safely aboard "Mighty Mac."
While enroute to transfer the migrants ashore, Fire Controlman 3rd Class John Owen, who spent his childhood in Ecuador, entertained the 169 guests with his guitar playing and singing.
"I felt like I should go out and help make all of the people we rescued more at home," said Owens. "They were in a strange place under strange circumstances and were more than a little bit scared about what would happen to them. I figured if bringing my guitar out and playing a bit could help, then why not go for it?"
Once the migrants were safely on shore, McClusky headed back out to sea to continue her counter-drug patrol.
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