U.S. Navy Rescues Fisherman Adrift for Eight Days in South Pacific

The U.S. Navy on Tuesday assisted in the rescue three fishermen who spent eight days adrift aboard their 19-foot skiff in the South Pacific.

The fishermen were first reported missing on February 12 after they failed to return from a fishing trip near Chuuk Lagoon in the Federated States of Micronesia. According to the report, the boat carried food and water, but no safety equipment or radios.

Assets from U.S. Coast Guard Sector Guam searched for the vessel for several days before requesting assistance from the U.S. Navy, which tasked crewmembers assigned to the “Fighting Tigers” of Patrol Squadron Eight (VP-8) to conduct the search.

The VP-8 aircrew, using a P-8A Poseidon, the Navy’s newest maritime patrol aircraft, located the boat within just three hours and successfully dropped a UNI-PAC II Search and Rescue (SAR) kit to the survivors.

The UNI-PAC II kit is a new addition to the Navy’s maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft fleet and contains items like medical supplies, food, water, communications and signaling equipment, among other items. The kit is deployed at approximately 500 feet with a 150-yard trailing lanyard to deliver equipment as accurately as possible to survivors in the water. In this case, the deployment actually marks the first time the kit had been successfully deployed by a P-8A in real-world SAR operations.

The three survivors were picked up by a local police vessel a few hours after being located Navy aircrew.

“It was incredibly rewarding to be a part of saving lives – it’s what everyone joins the Navy to do,” said Lt. Miles Schumacher, tactical coordinator of the VP-8 aircrew. “This aircraft allows for a massive step forward in the ability of SAR units to search large areas quickly and effectively, and we were excited to have the SAR kit loaded and be able to prove its effectiveness. We successfully demonstrated the capability of the MPRA community to react quickly and effectively to operational requirements in the farthest corners of the globe. Hopefully, this is just the first of many successful rescues by P-8A Poseidon aircrews.”

The only stories he had were good stories - he never saw any action. I have a stash of his letters to my mom and his parents from the war - interesting to go through them. He was sure in awe of the Marines and others.

In one letter he wrote about a Marine that was a brother to one of his shipmates and spent the day and night with them. The Marine was telling them how cushy they had it - my dad acknowledged that.

“He left this morning - I'm sure that you'll have read all about it in the papers by the time you get this letter.” (Obviously never gave names of where he was or where they were going).

From the date of the letter I surmised that the Marine had gone off to some battle that we lost a bunch of guys on - and that latter history would show was an island we should have just skipped. I believe it was the Battle of Peleliu.

After looking up that info, I went through the letter again, thinking about that Marine, and if he made it. Brave men those marines. My dad was very kind and mild-mannered - I'm not sure how he would have done in real battle. Although I did see a few episodes where he came unhinged when he was dealing with what he figured was defending the honor of his wife or his family or business.

Hmm, I know this other guy that is also very meek and mild and now does pottery. He was Special Forces in Vietnam! You never know!

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