HK CHALLENGER

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

Wood chip carrier assisted yacht, which finally shipwrecked

JRCC watchstanders received an alert from the EPIRB of the 45-ft-yacht 'Espiritu' on 25, 2024, about 230 miles northeast of Palmyra Atoll. Watchstanders issued a SafetyNet broadcast, polled the AMVER database, and diverted the 'HK Challenger' to the position of the yacht. The crew of the wood chip carrier transited approximately 120 miles to deliver fuel and supplies to the man and woman aboard the 'Espiritu'. On July 27, the JRCC Honolulu received an alert from the EPIRB registered to the 'Espiritu'. Because the EPIRB’s location was within the territorial waters of the Republic of Kiribati, JRCC watchstanders forwarded the alert to Kiribati’s search and rescue coordinator, who organized a local response. Kiribati officials searched for the Espiritu but were unable to locate the vessel.The U.S. Coast Guard assisted the Republic of Kiribati with the response to the distressed sailing vessel near Tabuaeran, Kiribati, on July 28. The Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) Honolulu received a request from Republic of Kiribati SAR coordinators at 10 a.m. to conduct an aerial search for thesailing vessel, believed to be in a remote area on the unpopulated eastern side of Tabuaeran, also known as Fanning Island. Two Kiribati vessels were dispatched to investigate the location too. A Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point HC-130J Super Hercules aircarft launched at 2 p.m. The aircrew located the 'Espiritu' at 6:56 p.m. and dropped supplies and a radio on the beach near the vessel. The 'Espiritu' was heavily damaged and aground on the east side of Fanning Island, where the Tabuaeran Island Police met the castaways to provide further assistance. Report with photo: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3854767/us-coast-guard-assists-kiribati-with-rescue-of-2-people-aboard-damaged-sailboat/ “We’re committed to supporting our partners in the region,” said Kevin Cooper, search and rescue mission coordinator, U.S. Coast Guard District 14. “The Coast Guard remains dedicated to safeguarding life and property at sea and will always stand ready to assist in times of need.”