SOUTH ISLANDER

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SOUTH ISLANDER 9370379

U.S. and Japan Coast Guard rescue crews coordinated the rescue of 27 fishermen after a severe shipboard fire forced them to abandon ship 540 miles east of Guam, April 17 2011. Coast Guard rescue coordinators located a merchant vessel about 115 miles from the Daiichi Shoei Maru and radioed a request to assist. The master of the South Islander responded to the distress call and diverted. Using the position provided by the EPIRB, the Japan Coast Guard aircrew was able to locate the burning vessel and contact the crew who were still aboard. At 7:45 p.m. Daichi Shoei Maru's crew abandoned ship into life rafts moments before the vessel suffered several explosions which left Daichi Shoei Maru severely burning. The crew was at a safe distance from the burning vessel when the South Islander arrived at 8:10 p.m. All 27 personnel were safely transferred to the South Islander without incident or injury.