MAJURO-Four sailors from Chuuk of Federated States of Micronesia were rescued by a Chinese long-line vessel from their small boat that broke down and had them drifting for more than four weeks in the ocean.
The drifting boat and the trapped crew were spotted on Sept. 4 by vessel FYY047, owned by LianCheng Overseas Fishery (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. of China. The Chinese fishing company is a partner of Marshall Island Fishing Venture in Majuro and Luen Thai Fishing Venture, which is based in Hong Kong.
FYY047 was on its routine operation at N3°59'00''E168°58'00'' in Majuro waters when they spotted the small vessel with its crew waving a red banner for rescue.
There were four exhausted persons on board: one woman, one boy and two men. The woman and boy couldn't even stand up. They were brought aboard FYY047 and were given water and food immediately.
After the broken FRP boat was lifted to the fishing boat, the survivors were brought back to MIFV's fishing base in Majuro and were transferred to immigration authorities at Majuro. They are expected to be home soon.
The four sailors had set out for sport fishing on Aug. 2. Soon after, the boat's engine malfunctioned. The three men and one woman from Micronesia drifted nearly 1,500 kilometers and survived on fish and rain water before being found. It was 34 days later when they were spotted and rescued by FYY047.
The four say that they were ignored by a passing fishing boat less than a week after being lost at sea. They told reporters that five days after being blown off course in a storm, they were approached by an Asian fishing vessel with the identification plate J8HN2. The vessel came within 15 meters before motoring away despite their pleas for help.
The four Micronesians included Tender Haser, who was campaigning on the outer islands ahead of national elections next March for the Federated States of Micronesia Congress.
The four say that after the harrowing experience of watching the Asian fishing boat take off, they saw five other vessels, but none came close enough to see them. At times, the ocean waves threatened to swamp their three-meter boat.
“They were the biggest waves I've ever seen. They must have been over 15 feet,” Haser said.
Asked if they thought they would die, Haser's nephew Jeremy Jenny, 18, said: “We all believe in God, so we weren't worried”.
This is the second rescue operation since last year by vessels from the same Chinese company. On May 5, 2005, another rescue was carried out by SLC802 at waters N7'17”, E170'46”. The vessel was on her way back to fishing base when it spotted a small raft struggling about 200 meters away from a half sinking FRP boat. The Chinese crews rescued 14 sailors-all Japanese-confined in the raft boat and took them to Marshall Island Fishing Venture's base in Majuro
Liancheng Overseas Fishery was established in 2002 in Shenzhen-China's first Special Economic Zone. The company is engaged in distant water fishery, domestic trade, fishing gear and bait supply and import and export of seafood products. It is considered as China's most prominent fresh tuna operator in Center and West Pacific region. The company partners with MIFV and Luen Thai Fishing Venture on base and fleet management.
posted 19 Oct 2006
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