[ThomasThomas]

Well, actually this IS part of the job of the coast guard.

[stormer]

It is the duty of every mariner.

The 1974 International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS Convention) obliges the

“master of a ship at sea which is in a position to be able to provide assistance, on receiving information from any source that persons are in distress at sea, is bound to proceed with all speed to their assistance, if possible informing them or the search and rescue service that the ship is doing so…”

The 1979 International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR Convention) obliges State Parties to

“…ensure that assistance be provided to any person in distress at sea… regardless of the nationality or status of such a person or the circumstances in which that person is found”… and to “provide for their initial medical or other needs , and deliver them to a place of safety.”

[SoFloFreeper]

But not the Navy.

[Michael.SF.]

Well, actually this IS part of the job of the coast guard.

900 miles off the coast of Mexico?

[morphing libertarian]

We took a cruise out of New Orleans. Western Caribbean.

Kid fell from the top deck by the pool down to the next deck. Serious back injury.

As we went to our cabin to sleep announcement said ship would go to Florida to get the kid to a hospital.

In the morning announcement said coast guard picked Jim up and took him to Miami.

I don’t mind my taxes being spent for this.

[rabidralph]

The boat is a little out of range of the coast guard's jurisdiction: " A U.S. Navy warship reached a crippled sailboat hundreds of miles off the Mexican coast..."

These nitwits should have come back to shore.