Semper Paratus

[RPM 26366]

Two men, pet dog missing at sea for over a week found safe on sailboat without fuel 200 miles off Delaware

 

Two men missing at sea for more than a week were found safely Tuesday hundreds of miles off the coast of Delaware inside their sailboat that ran out of fuel and lost power, federal officials said.

Kevin Hyde, 65, and Joe Ditomasso, 76, waved their arms and a flag to attract the attention of the Silver Muna, a tanker vessel that came to their aid 214 miles east of The First State, according to the United States Coast Guard.

The pair and a pet dog aboard were not heard from since Dec. 3 after they departed from Oregon Inlet in North Carolina, officials said. The men were en route to Florida after leaving from Cape May in New Jersey reportedly in late November.  

“I texted Kevin, I said, ‘Kev as soon as your phone has service please call or text, we’re worried about your safety.’ I’ve been calling and texting both but nothing,” family friend Dan Sekel told WPVI-TV Monday before the two were rescued.

The Atrevida, which in Spanish means daring, was found without any fuel or power so the radios and navigation equipment didn’t work, the Coast Guard said.

Hyde, Ditomasso and the pet dog were brought aboard the Silver Muna at 4:18 p.m. Tuesday and were evaluated by the vessel’s medical staff, authorities said. They were expected to be brought to New York City by the Silver Muna to reunite with family and friends and for further evaluation, according to the Coast Guard.

Hyde and Ditomasso were found a day after the Coast Guard blasted out an alert on social media and to commercial vessels in the area in an attempt to find them.

Aircrafts and cutters were deployed by the Coast Guard while the US Navy’s Second Fleet vessels, and commercial and recreational boats also pitched in to scour through a combined 21,164 square miles of water.

“This is an excellent example of the maritime community’s combined efforts to ensure safety of life at sea,” Cmdr. Daniel Schrader said in a statement. “We are overjoyed with the outcome of the case and look forward to reuniting Mr. Hyde and Mr. Ditomasso with their family and friends.

 

tl/dr: Dumbasses nearly kill themselves at sea

Edited December 14, 2022 by RPM

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Damn. I thought CWO Hamm was an old salt.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2023/01/11/34-years-coast-guard-raises-limit-how-long-senior-enlisted-can-serve.html

The Coast Guard is set to allow its top enlisted personnel to stay in the service for up to 34 years, part of a plan to retain talent and institutional knowledge.

Speaking Wednesday at the Surface Navy Association's national symposium in Arlington, Virginia, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Heath Jones said the service will allow its master chief petty officers -- E-9s -- to stay up to 34 years.

Mandatory retirement at 30 years has been the norm for enlisted personnel across the military branches and in the Coast Guard, with a maximum age of service of 62. For officers, time in service and the maximum retirement age is set aside if the member has achieved flag rank and continues to be promoted, although nearly all must retire by age 64.

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That's eight stupidity stripes.  Anyone in that long won't be able to bend their arms in their dress uniform.

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I met the MCPOCG once in Kodiak. We were just back from our Blue Nose mission and the Captain was painting the bow. Young SA RPM was hauling hot mess garbage to the dock dumpster when one of the 55 gal trash bags failed just past where the Captain was painting, a/k/a the worst place possible. Lunch chow scraps all over the dock. Who do you think was the first person to walk up? MCPOCG Charles W. "Skip" Bowen. I knew he was coming and as I scrambled to clean up the mess he asked me if I needed a hand. Got it under control Master Chief! He smiled and walked away. CWO Hamm and BM1 Pond were not nearly as amused.

[RPM 26366]