Posted on 05/04/2014 6:58:47 PM PDT by BenLurkin
PHOENIX (AP) — Two Chinese sailors died and six are believed to be missing after their boat sank in the Pacific Ocean, an official at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base said Sunday.
Maj. Sarah Schwennesen said that a Venezuelan fishing boat reported finding 11 sailors floating in a raft Friday afternoon.
She said the Venezuelan crew said four sailors were badly burned. Two later died of their injuries.
Airmen from the 563rd Rescue Group parachuted into the water Saturday afternoon and used inflatable boats to reach the Venezuelan vessel, which is 1,100 nautical miles west of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Schwennesen said. They treated the injured sailors Saturday and into Sunday morning.
(Excerpt) Read more at seattlepi.com ...
Active Duty ping.
Airmen rescue Chinese sailors.
Hu’s on first?
I’m glad our guys were curious enough to know what was going on that they went and got these guys.
What were they doing there?
Marlin fishing?
It is a big watery world and the international waters are supposed to be open, but I do question why these guys came so far.
Agreed - I am thinking this was as much intelligence gathering, as humanitarian, in nature.
Chinese, VEnezuelans, Americans and everyone else are looking for MH370? The Pacific near Cabo is no less logical than the South Indian Ocean..
Nice!
Because that is where the fish are.
Really, that is why.
Probably tuna.
RIP.
Check a map. The Panama Canal make it really a short boat ride.
This is the second time in the last month I’ve heard of Air Force or Air Guard para-rescue jumping to a vessel to provide advanced medical support. This type of operation is full of risk and these men deserve a lot of respect.
Apparently the fees at the canal aren’t so much as to make a fishing voyage unprofitable.
Oh my... that first link... wow, God is good.
Bump!
I just thought it was rather strange as to how Chinese sailors and a Venezuelan “fishing vessel” could have been in the same area at the same time.
A lot of Chinese in the Panama Canal zone. Wouldn’t be surprised if there was a large market of Chinese sailors for hire in Central America.
Agree. And, nearest to Mexico (or, at least that was the landmark mentioned).
One hell of a toll plaza, though!
Ships pay a toll for passage through the Panama Canal as follows. For example, based on charges updated on May 1, 2007 container ships pay a fee for passage through the Panama Canal based on capacity to carry shipping containers measuring twenty feet by eight feet by 8 and a half feet. For each twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) a ship pays $54. For a large container ship with a capacity of 4,400 TEU’s the toll to pass through the Panama Canal would be 4,400 X $54 = $237,600.
Smaller boats going through the Panama Canal are assessed a fee by length with boats less than fifty feet in length paying $500. Boats over 100 feet in length pay fees of $1,500 to pass through the Panama Canal.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.