ROTTERDAM, Netherlands – Lt. Cmdr. Radiah Jones, international port security liaison officer for Coast Guard Activities Europe in Rotterdam, was presented the Congressman James Sener Award for Excellence in Marine Investigations on Aug. 24.
Jones, a native of California, received the award for her involvement in the investigation of an incident involving the sailing vessel Nahoku II.
The investigation of the Nahoku II, which took place in Sector Honolulu, became one of the top 4,392 Coast Guard investigations conducted in 2009. Jones’ investigation resulted in the improvement of commercial sailing vessel safety and the establishment of a course curriculum for basic marine inspections in the Coast Guard. It also led to the creation of a national safety alert on sailboat rigging dangers to be utilized by Coast Guard marine inspectors nationwide.
The Congressman James Sener Award was created to recognize exceptional marine investigations. In 1874, Congressman James Sener of Virginia sponsored the legislation that created the modern marine investigation program. The program has become the world’s most effective system for identifying and eliminating unsafe conditions in marine transportation system.
Jones graduated the Coast Guard’s Officer Candidate School December 1997.
Jones is the daughter of Earl and Wannee Jones of Riverside, Calif.
