ANDERSON AIR BASE, Guam — Members of Patrol Squadron (VP) 40 recently took part in a rescue effort near Guam.
On the evening of July 19, VP-40 was asked to assist in the search and rescue effort of a small boat with 15 passengers that had been reported missing in the Federated States of Micronesia. Combat Aircrew (CAC) 12 and six maintainers launched on short notice to Guam to help with the search.
“I got the phone call on my way back from shopping. Within an hour and a half, we were airborne and headed to assist with the search,” recalled Aviation Structural Mechanic Second Class James Conklin. “The only information given was that six adults and nine children were lost near the island group of Micronesia. Every minute counted and could determine life or death for the castaways. That was good enough for us.”
The P-3C landed at Anderson Air Force Base, Guam just before 4 a.m. The maintainers quickly hurried off the aircraft to establish a base of operations while CAC 12 coordinated with United States Coast Guard (USCG) Guam Sector to begin the mission. CAC 12 was airborne at 5:45 a.m. and began searching the area overhead where the boat was thought to have gone missing.
“This was my first experience working with the U.S. Coast Guard. The search missions were very well organized which is a key component to a successful SAR effort,” said Lt. Justin Christensen, tactical coordinator and mission commander of the P-3C crew. “Great communication with USCG Sector Guam helped the aircrew to be effective in this dynamic and challenging real-life mission. The aircrew exemplified Navy core values, launching at a moment’s notice and on scene 1,700 nautical miles away within ten hours of the initial call.”
Over the next few days, a USCG C-130 Hercules, USCG Cutter Assateague (WPB 1337), several transiting merchant vessels, and local fisherman joined the search.
The distressed vessel was known to have departed Chuuk Island for a 70-nautical-mile transit to the north but never arrived at its destination.
With no sightings or clues of when or where the boat became disabled, search teams assumed they were looking for 15 people in the open ocean with no food, water, and possibly, no boat. On the second day of searching, widespread rain squalls drove aircraft down to minimum search altitudes, greatly limiting visibility.
On day three, anxiety began to set as time was running out for the lost boaters. The search area had vastly expanded and the capabilities of SAR platforms were being stressed. On the other hand, weather and visibility had drastically improved overnight.
That afternoon, USCG Sector Guam received a report of people spotted on Murillo Atoll, an uninhabited island eight miles west of the distressed vessel’s destination. Within 30 minutes, CAC 12 was overhead and observed a skiff matching the missing vessel’s description overturned on the beach.
“The stranded mariners sent an S-O-S, and we were proud to answer that call,” said Naval Aircrewman 3rd Class Erik Willison.
Soon after, USCG Cutter Assateague arrived on the scene and provided the necessary aid to the survivors. Over the 76-hour period, more than 18,000 nautical miles were covered searching for the missing boaters.
