An 86-year-old sailor and his four-legged first mate were miraculously rescued nearly 500 miles off the San Diego coast after vanishing during a months-long voyage from Oregon to the South Pacific.
The elderly mariner and his dog had set sail aboard the Willow Wind from Astoria, Ore., in August, bound for Pago Pago, American Samoa, a remote destination roughly 5,000 miles southwest of California. But the pair hadn’t been heard from since Aug. 20, triggering a search after they failed to arrive as expected.
On Saturday, Oct. 24, Coast Guard Pacific Area watchstanders received a report about the overdue sailor and his canine companion, according to the U.S. Coast Guard Southwest District.
Days later, the search intensified when a Coast Guard station in Alameda received an emergency radio beacon alert from the Willow Wind on Tuesday, Oct. 27.
Crews from Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento, including a C-27 Spartan aircraft and an HC-130 Hercules aircrew, were dispatched to help locate the missing mariner as officials also called on nearby vessels for assistance.
The sailboat was eventually spotted, and the motor vessel Grand Orion arrived at the scene early the following morning.
But treacherous seas forced rescuers to suspend operations for hours before they could safely reach the stranded sailor and his dog.
Later that day, the pair were successfully pulled from the sailboat, which had been left adrift with damaged sails, officials said.
The rescue wasn’t over just yet.
On Thursday, a Coast Guard Air Station San Diego MH-60 Jayhawk crew hoisted the sailor and his dog aboard an aircraft from the Grand Orion, roughly 170 miles west of Ventura.
“When emergency medical personnel were able to evaluate the mariner, he was weak and had difficulty walking, but no major injuries,” the Coast Guard told The California Post.
The 86-year-old was transported to Scripps Mercy Hospital for further evaluation.
By the time they were found, the sailor and his furry companion had traveled more than 1,000 nautical miles during their months-long ordeal, according to SeaRoutesNav.
“We are grateful to the merchant mariners and Coast Guard crews whose coordinated efforts brought this search to a successful conclusion,” said Coast Guard Cmdr. Jason Nguyen, Southwest District command center chief.
“This case highlights the importance of carrying emergency communication equipment and creating a float plan so someone ashore knows your voyage plans.”
The sailor’s original journey from Astoria to Pago Pago would typically have taken between four and seven weeks, depending on the vessel’s speed, weather conditions and chosen route, according to the Maritime Safety Information website.
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