The timely reaction of the Colombian Navy Units led to the safeguarding of the lives of two Canadians. They got adrift, after their boat, Canadian flagged, Exception, suffered failures in its propellant engine, in Colombian Pacific waters.
The facts were announced through communications between Coast Guard District number 11 of the United States and the Colombian Navy Operations Center. Immediately the Corvette ARC Nariño and a Rapid Reaction Unit of the Coast Guard of the Pacific Naval Force, proceeded to execute the Search and Rescue operation with the purpose of safeguarding human life at sea.
The search for the two crewmen was carried out for five days and the rescue and assistance occurred 104 nautical miles of the Port of Buenaventura.
Once the inspection and search visit by crew members of the Colombian Navy was carried out, it was possible to verify the good health of the rescued ones.
According to the version reported by the men identified as Gilles Hammel and Timothy Mc Cune, both 63, who on January 15, sailed from Los Angeles, California in the United States, arrived in Costa Rica and headed for Panama. The incident was reported on February 15, adding up to five days at the sea until the rescue.
"We lost our engine on February 10, there was no wind, so we could not go anywhere. Then we got plenty of wind and we could go north, hoping to get Colombia. At that time the Captain's brother called and said that we needed help. This morning you arrived, you realized what the engine had, you gave us food, you gave us water and you gave us your friendship. Thank you, thank you," said Timothy Mc Cune.
Despite the adverse climate conditions, these two people, along with the sailboat, were escorted by the Colombian Navy units, to the Buenaventura pier.
Source: Colombian Navy Press
