It is 23:15 p.m., on the night of April 10 to 11, when five volunteer SNSM crew members from Saint-Martin drop the moorings of the Rescue Star to go and rescue an exhausted couple on a sluggish sailboat and running out of fuel with damaged engine. 10 miles from the islet of Dog Island, north of Anguilla.
After 45 minutes of navigation, thanks to the moonlight, a calm sea and a precise GPS position, one can easily visualize the sailboat which tries to go upwind but without strong wind. Two team members are dropped off to assess the situation, the problem being whether it would be faster to let the team members take over the helm and pull the edges to reach Saint-Martin or tow the sailboat using the semi-rigid, knowing that it is difficult to exceed a speed of four knots. Finally the second solution is chosen. And, after 3:30 of towing, the couple is brought back, cold and tired so safely in the bay of Marigot. Thank you SNSM!
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