This is the second in a 5 part series on the Maritime Mobile Service Net by John Emery
Maritime Mobile Service Net members know that piracy didn’t die with Blackbeard!
On Friday, April 13 2007 at 4:45 PM EST (0045z 2007/04/14), a MAYDAY call was made to the net frequency. The S/V Argonauta was in distress, actively being stalked by a power vessel with 4 males on board. The ARGONAUTA had made 4 course corrections, with the power vessel performing identical course changes shadowing the S/V Argonauta, and was now beginning to rapidly close the distance. The S/V Argonauta was declaring a probable sea piracy situation in-process.
The S/V Argonauta is a 43’ C&C sailboat, white with blue trim, with two females on board.
They reported their position as 18° 52.51’N x 67° 52.51’W (in the Mona Straits, Puerto Rico), steering a course of 111°T at 4.7 knots.
The pertinent information was obtained by the net and relayed to the USCG San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The USCG scrambled a vessel and helicopter to the vessel in distress. Due to propagation, USCG San Juan was unable to communicate to S/V Argonauta on 14.300. The MMSN acted as a relay station in support of the information exchange between USCG and S/V Argonauta.
After arriving on-site, the USCG determined the vessel shadowing the S/V Argonauta was a migrant vessel, and the vessel was detained. The S/V Argonauta continued on their voyage without further incident.
Net Control Operators controllers AG4SI, K5MP and K5SIV foiled the modern-day Blackbeards by creating the vital communications link between S/V Argonauta and the U.S. Coast Guard.
Tomorrow: Medical Emergency in the Caribbean
