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Sailor presumed overboard rescued off North Carolina coast
The Virginian-Pilot ^
| October 20, 2010
| Kate Wiltrout, Lauren King
Posted on 10/20/2010 5:02:18 PM PDT by republicangel
click here to read article
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Wow this is darned amazing. I'm so thankful that they found him. These stories don't usually have happy endings.
To: republicangel
Man, what a place to be rescued...
2
posted on
10/20/2010 5:05:46 PM PDT
by
devane617
(November!)
To: republicangel
Headline presumed written needs a rewrite
What kind of writing is that?
3
posted on
10/20/2010 5:08:03 PM PDT
by
GeronL
(http://libertyfic.proboards.com <--- My Fiction/ Science Fiction Board)
To: GeronL
I’m not so sure about that. I think it states the facts clearly. As usual during these matters, they were presuming he was overboard. Once they found him, they knew he had been in fact overboard.
To: republicangel
5
posted on
10/20/2010 5:17:12 PM PDT
by
GeronL
(http://libertyfic.proboards.com <--- My Fiction/ Science Fiction Board)
To: republicangel
My biggest fear in my seagoing days was being washed overboard, and watching the ship’s lights disappear in the distance. (shudder to think about it)
6
posted on
10/20/2010 5:24:50 PM PDT
by
pingman
(Price is what you pay, value is what you get.)
To: republicangel
I bet that water out there is starting to get a bit cool. We were vacationing at the NC Outer Banks(not very far from the VA border) during the first of June, and the water seemed to be quite cool still. Wouldn’t be fun to be in it in Mid October for five hours.
7
posted on
10/20/2010 5:26:25 PM PDT
by
KoRn
(Department of Homeland Security, Certified - "Right Wing Extremist")
To: KoRn
This is true, the water temps are nothing like Florida. Even in the middle of the summer, I never think it is warm. :-)
To: pingman
9
posted on
10/20/2010 5:58:27 PM PDT
by
Former War Criminal
(My senior Senator [who served in Vietnam and Rhode Island] said so.)
To: KoRn
Not off shore. In the Winter the near shore water temp can get quite cold, but off shore the Gulf Stream keeps the water temp closer to 80. I commercial fished that area for over 10 years and frequently saw navy ships on training maneuvers. Even saw carriers launching and recovering aircraft. We've been buzzed by F-18's and even an old A-7 (or maybe it was a F-8). Helicopters would hover off our stern and watch us pull grouper, snapper and king mackerel. Even got to see F-15's and F-16's dogfighting high overhead. Lots of fun.
Still, 5 hours by yourself on that big ocean gives you a lot to think about. I'm glad he's safe.
10
posted on
10/20/2010 6:04:37 PM PDT
by
SunTzuWu
To: Former War Criminal
Look up Doug Hegdahl. Wow, what a story.
11
posted on
10/20/2010 6:36:10 PM PDT
by
Talisker
(When you find a turtle on top of a fence post, you can be damn sure it didn't get there on its own.)
To: MitchellC
NC ping please. This is one lucky sailor!
To: republicangel
Wow! I spent 3 years on destroyers (three different ones) out of Norfolk back in the early 60's - and know just how lucky that sailor was to be found!
He had to stay afloat, and was likely trained to know how to make 'water wings' out of his pants (knot pant legs - capture air, put under arms.)
But, even with good training, a sailor in the water is very hard to see from on board a ship in any kind of surface chop. Most likely he was spotted from an aircraft.
What I really want to know is how he happened to fall overboard... because that just doesn't happen very often, unless a sailor is doing something awfully dumb.
13
posted on
10/20/2010 6:49:34 PM PDT
by
Ron C.
To: Ron C.
Report says they are investigating. I will post when the media reports it.
To: Ron C.
Having done many searches for a PIW (person in the water) back in my CG days... this is nothing short of a miracle. A person floating the water is a tiny, tiny thing. It’s almost impossible to spot, especially from the air. Even when you know where to look... the chances of being seen are just abysmally small.
15
posted on
10/20/2010 7:03:02 PM PDT
by
Ramius
(Personally, I give us... one chance in three. More tea?)
To: Ramius
Having done many searches for a PIW (person in the water) back in my CG days... this is nothing short of a miracle. A person floating the water is a tiny, tiny thing. Its almost impossible to spot, especially from the air. Even when you know where to look... the chances of being seen are just abysmally small. Don't these new Navy working uniforms make them easy to spot too?
16
posted on
10/20/2010 7:15:11 PM PDT
by
seowulf
("If you write a whole line of zeroes, it's still---nothing"...Kira Alexandrovna Argounova)
To: Ramius
"...chances of being seen are just abysmally small." So true! Been there, done that.
In this case, it may have been a chopper that literally 'stumbled' upon him. But if he was wearing white (likely) and the sea was calm - spotting him would be a little bit easier.
17
posted on
10/20/2010 7:18:22 PM PDT
by
Ron C.
To: republicangel
He/She must have missed their watch! 12:15 is an unusual time to be having muster.
To: seowulf
Heh. True enough. But then again... somebody could be wearing hunter blaze orange and they’re still a tiny, tiny speck in a really, really big space. Almost impossible to spot.
19
posted on
10/20/2010 7:44:46 PM PDT
by
Ramius
(Personally, I give us... one chance in three. More tea?)
To: 100%FEDUP; 2ndMostConservativeBrdMember; ~Vor~; a4drvr; Adder; Aegedius; Afronaut; alethia; ...
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