Guided-missile frigate USS Carr (FFG 52) assisted a United States-flagged sailing vessel in the Western Caribbean Sea Aug. 14.
Carr discovered the U.S. flagged sailing vessel “Bob” which failed to answer calls on the bridge-to-bridge radio. Sailors from Carr manned the rigid hull inflatable boat to investigate. They discovered, after talking with the crew, that the sailing vessel had drained down its batteries and was unable to use any electrical equipment or start its engine to charge the batteries. The batteries were brought back to Carr which used its battery charging station to fully charge the sailing vessel’s marine batteries.
After about 90 minutes, the batteries were returned to the sailing vessel which allowed them to start their generator, regain full use of their electrical equipment, and continue on their voyage.
“ It is the duty of all mariners to assist other mariners at sea. It is especially gratifying to help fellow Americans. The vessel had come a long way from its homeport of Louisiana and I am glad we could offer assistance ,” said Ensign Jonathan Smith , Carr’s officer of the deck.
Carr is homeported in Norfolk, Va., and is currently deployed in support of Operation Martillo, under operational control to U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and C4F (COMUSNAVSO/ C4F) while conducting to operations to Combat transnational organized crime (C-TOC) operations in support of Joint Interagency Task Force – South, U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM), and U.S. Coast Guard District Seven.
Operation Martillo is a U.S., European, and Western Hemisphere partner nation effort targeting illicit trafficking routes in coastal waters along the Central American isthmus. U.S. military participation is being led by Joint Interagency Task Force-South, a component of USSOUTHCOM. Operation Martillo is a component of the U.S. government’s coordinated interagency regional security strategy in support of the White House strategy and the U.S. Central America Regional Security Initiative.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, August 17, 2012; Image: US Navy