USS Lake Champlain Rescues Distressed Sailor at Sea
Navy News Service
Story Number: NNS140404-13
Release Date: 4/4/2014 3:46:00 PM
By Ensign Michael V. Schiavone and U.S. 3rd Fleet Public Affairs
USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN, At Sea (NNS) -- Sailors assigned to the Ticonderoga class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG 57) and Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 78, rescued a man aboard a sailing vessel off the coast of Southern California April 1.
A helicopter from HSM 78 was conducting deck landing qualifications aboard Lake Champlain when the aircrew noticed a man aboard a sailing vessel trying to flag them down. The helicopter notified the ship immediately and Lake Champlain responded by launching one of the ship's rigid-hull inflatable boats.
The crew brought the man aboard the ship and evaluated his medical condition. He was found to be in good condition and the ship provided food, water and a place to sleep as the ship transited back to San Diego.
Before the rescue, the man was sailing from Ensenada, Mexico when his sailboat lost electrical power and its sails had been degraded to the point that he was not able to sail to shore. The man stated that he had been stranded at sea for approximately four days and had run out of food and water.
'It is the duty of every seagoing vessel to render assistance to any person found at sea in danger of being lost and to rescue anyone in distress. The U.S. follows the law of the sea and it was our responsibility to rescue the individual,' said Capt. Christopher Barnes, commanding officer of USS Lake Champlain.
After the ship returned to San Diego April 2, the man was cleared by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials and released on his own.
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