AT SEA – Sailors from the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) rescued a Filipino mariner, Jan. 18, who had fallen overboard from his vessel while transiting the Singapore Strait.
At approximately 7:25 a.m. Spruance received a distress call from Malaysian-flagged motor vessel Pantagruel regarding a crewmember going overboard. Spruance quickly launched its rigid-hull-inflatable boat (RHIB) into the water to locate the mariner. Sailors on board the RHIB were able to recover the mariner and assessed that he was in stable condition. The mariner was then transferred to a Singaporean Coast Guard vessel.
“The boat crew did an excellent job reacting to a stressful situation,” said Lt. j.g. Katherine Miyamasu, RHIB’s boat officer. “[Boatswain’s Mate First Class] Jesus Hernandez spotted the man from the RHIB and everyone else sprang into action. It was a great day to be in the Navy.”
“I’m very proud of my crew for their quick reaction and professionalism,” said Cmdr. Dan Cobian, commanding officer of Spruance. “We consistently train for these situations in order to always be prepared to render assistance on the high seas.”
Spruance departed its homeport of San Diego Oct. 16, 2013, and is deployed to the 7th Fleet area of operations supporting security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.