Just before 8:00AM on Tuesday, 20 August, police received a report that a vessel with four persons on board had been travelling from Tampa, Florida, to Grand Cayman when their family members on island lost contact with them. At the time that contact was lost, the vessel had been located just outside of Cuba.
The Joint Marine Unit along with the Air Operations Unit deployed to locate the vessel. The US Coast Guard was also notified and their assistance requested. An emergency positioning beacon on the vessel was activated by those on board, and picked up by the US Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center in Miami. With the assistance of the coordinates provided, the Air Operations Unit helicopter crew were able to locate the vessel approximately 70 miles outside of the Cayman Islands. Contact was established and the vessel was found to be in good condition and the occupants in good health.
It was established that the vessel did not have sufficient fuel to return to the Cayman Islands. The police helicopter then returned to Grand Cayman and a private vessel was organized by the boaters, carrying the fuel needed to make the journey home. The AOU helicopter crew launched again in the afternoon and helped co-ordinate the locations of the two vessels, meeting them approximately 40 miles off the coast for the fuel transfer.
The vessel arrived to Grand Cayman just after 9:00PM last night. Their arrival was monitored by the JMU until a safe arrival was confirmed.
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