Coast Guard Cutter Midgett Rescues Family Missing in Western Pacific

The Coast Guard cutter Midgett crew rescued a family of three in the waters off the coast of Chuuk, part of the Federated States of Micronesia, following search and rescue operations April 6.

The crew located the missing family after receiving a report on Easter from authorities in the Federated States of Micronesia and the U.S. Embassy that the vessel was overdue.

"Our U.S. Coast Guard colleagues' swift and courageous actions in this successful search and rescue mission not only reflect the highest standards of professionalism and humanity but also reinforce the deep and enduring partnership between the United States and the Federated States of Micronesia," said Jennifer Johnson, U.S. ambassador to the Federated States of Micronesia. "This mission exemplifies the spirit of cooperation and mutual support at the heart of the Compact of Free Association, underscoring how our close relations translate into real, lifesaving outcomes for our people."

At night, the crew visually located the 23-foot single-outboard skiff carrying the missing family, two men and one woman, in the water.

The family departed Fananu, an island municipality in the state of Chuuk, March 30 for the short passage to the island of Murillo but never arrived due to a failure of their single outboard engine. At the height of search planning, the predicted search area exceeded 14,000 square nautical miles in rough seas with waves reaching 10 feet.

All three survivors were rescued uninjured. They were then safely delivered to Weno for further transport to Fananu.

"National security cutter crews spend most of their time executing maritime law enforcement missions, often with our international partners," said Coast Guard Capt. Brian Whisler, commanding officer of the Midgett. "[Search and rescue] cases like this one are not routine for our platform. Our bridge watch standers spotted the small skiff in rough seas just after midnight, and that kind of situational awareness does not happen by accident. It is what this crew trains for, and I could not be prouder of how they performed."

During the operation, watch standers from the U.S. Coast Guard Joint Rescue Sub-Center Guam at U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam developed the search patterns and coordinated with U.S. Coast Guard District Oceania and Air Station Barbers Point personnel to launch an HC-130 Hercules airplane and crew from Hawaii to support the search and directed the launch of the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Frederick Hatch from Guam.

The crew on the Midgett, already conducting a Western Pacific patrol, diverted following a bilateral maritime law enforcement boarding with two embarked officers from the Federal States of Micronesia in their exclusive economic zone, approximately 200 nautical miles south of Fananu.

"This rescue reflects the strategic value of maintaining a capable surface presence across the region's vast maritime expanse," said Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Derek Wallin, the search and rescue mission coordinator. "Without the Midgett's proximity, coordinating a search across more than 14,000 square nautical miles of open ocean would have required significantly more time and resources, time the three missing people may not have had."