Last Friday, the CROSS-AG (Regional Operational Center for Surveillance and Rescue of the Antilles-Guyana) calls the sea rescue station of Saint-Martin, about a small white monohull sailboat reported in skid in the Bay of Marigot , opposite the Sandy Ground bridge.
The weather is clear with good visibility, calm sea and almost zero wind. With three volunteer rescuers on board, the semi-rigid Rescue Star sets sail at 19:07 pm from the Fort Louis marina and quickly arrives in the area where he spots a small white sailboat of about 24 feet, Nathaniel registered in Toronto, Canada.
No visible light except one in the cockpit. After three voice calls, two team members get on board and note that there is no one inside. They check the mooring of the boat which does not present any anomaly, try to light the mooring light, which does not work, but succeed in lighting the navigation and stern lights.
Shortly after their return to the Fort Louis marina, the rescue team received another VHF call from the CROSS-AG at 19:55 pm for a new engagement concerning the sailboat Three. The family of boaters is worried following the information of a witness on shore who saw "an orange light or an explosion" between the Pinel islet and Tintamarre, in the probable area of evolution of the boat. And attempts to contact him were unsuccessful.
The crew of the Rescue Star therefore leaves at 20:03 pm towards the northeast of the island and arrives half an hour later in Tintamarre where they spot an anchor light facing the beach. Verification made, at the request of the CROSS-AG, they are boaters on a motor catamaran.
On the spot for two hours, the boaters did not observe anything abnormal. A second sailboat is also at anchor nearby, but its occupants have seen nothing either.
At the request of the CROSS-AG, the Rescue Star made three passages over the area between the Pinel islet and the north side of Tintamarre. Nothing to report!
And suddenly, at 20:44 p.m., the Three boat finally signals to the CROSS, in transit to Cul-de-Sac. For him, everything is fine.
The CROSS-AG therefore gives the Rescue Star the freedom to maneuver, which returns to the quay at the Fort-Louis Marina at 21:24 p.m.
The SNSM recalls that it is an association of public interest to save lives at sea, made up only of volunteers animated by the spirit of service, but unpaid, and that it works only with private donations to ensure the proper functioning of its nautical and various resources, its premises and its training.
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