The SNSM Rescues Two Adrift Sailboats

Sunday, August 30, was anything but a day of rest for the volunteer lifeguards at the Saint-Barth station of the SNSM (National Society for Sea Rescue). After a call at 11:47 a.m. from the Antilles-Guyana Regional Operations Center for Surveillance and Rescue (Crossag) reporting a sailboat adrift after breaking free from its mooring, a crew mobilized to head out to sea. The sailboat was located one mile south of Fourchue. With the owner’s permission, the SNSM reports, the vessel was towed to Saint Barth in rough seas caused by the passage of Tropical Wave No. 38. However, the surprises weren’t over for the SNSM rescuers. “As we were securing the sailboat, a second adrift vessel was recovered,” the SNSM recounted in an online post. “Young sailors in a dinghy were struggling to moor it, not without difficulty. We’d like to take this opportunity to commend their efforts.” In the end, the Saint-Barth rescuers towed two sailboats to safety. “We urge you to check your moorings as storms or tropical waves approach,” the SNSM emphasized. Port authorities systematically issue alerts to this effect. Don’t forget that a drifting sailboat is a hazard to navigation and that it is not always easy to tow it.” (Photo @SNSM)