Maritime Rescue Coordination Center Fort de France (MRCC) has disclosed the name of the Soufriere fishermen rescued at sea yesterday (July 8) while emphasising that St. Lucian fishermen need to be properly equipped for their operations.
Amil Mitchel and Nazil Jamal Henry were lost since Monday (July 7) on board fishing vessel “Freedom”, MRCC said.
“I insist on a point: using radio VHF, which is not so expensive, approximately70 €, would have avoid this distress situation. Thank you for everything you could do to improve safety at sea for Saint Lucia people, said Edouard Perrier, directeur du CROSS Antilles Guyane.
MRCC said a Dutch and a French aircraft found the men yesterday after hours of searching 80 nautical miles west of Castries.
“They have been picked up by motor tanker “Fourni”, Greek flag. A lifeboat from Fort de France evacuated them to French hospital in Fort de France at 4 o’clock this morning,” the MRCC said.
MRCC is responsible for search and rescue at sea in a large area, from south of Saint Lucia to north of Anguilla including a large part of the Atlantic ocean.
MRCC Fort de France said it is managing SAR operations with the “very precious help of public or private assets from each country in the area”.
Last year, 1200 people were rescued by MRCC Fort de France (850 search and rescue cases).