Coast Guard rescues five people, assists Port au Prince Joint Rescue Coordination Center

Feb 16, 2023

MIAMI — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Dependable rescued five people from two life rafts, Wednesday, after their vessel sank in the Golfe de La Gonave, Haiti.  

No injuries were reported.  

Coast Guard District Seven watchstanders received an agency assist request from the Joint Regional Communications Center Port au Prince when the emergency position indicating radio beacon onboard the motor vessel Lets Go Gonave was activated.  

Dependable was diverted to the signal where they found five individuals floating on life rafts. Dependable launched a crew aboard the cutter small boat and rescued all five individuals.  

“I am extremely proud of the crew for their response to the sinking of motor vessel Lets Go Gonave,” said Cmdr. Josh Burch, commanding officer of Coast Guard Cutter Dependable. “This was a great example of how important it is to have safety equipment, such as your EPIRB, life rafts, and life jackets, onboard and in good working condition.” 

An EPIRB is used to alert search and rescue forces in the event of an emergency. It does this by transmitting a coded message on the 406 megahertz distress frequency via satellite and earth stations to the nearest rescue coordination center, which then notifies local first responders.