U.S. Coast Guard and Navy Rescue Mother and Daughter from Hurricane Gilma’s Wrath

As Hurricane Gilma neared Hawaii, a mother, her daughter, and their pets were in danger while sailing through the Pacific Ocean. Their boat, flying a French flag, was battered by strong winds and rough seas. Sadly, the boat’s captain had died.

The mother and her child faced a desperate situation, but the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy launched a daring rescue in the middle of the storm. After days of intense efforts, the woman, her daughter, their cat, and even a tortoise were safely rescued, according to the Coast Guard.

The sailboat, stranded about 925 miles from Honolulu, sent out a distress signal on Saturday, Aug. 24. A Coast Guard airplane quickly took off from Barbers Point to locate the 47-foot sailboat named Albroc. The 47-year-old mother on board reported that she and her 7-year-old daughter were caught in the storm and needed rescue. She also mentioned that a man on the boat had died.

The Coast Guard plane spotted the boat and saw the woman light two flares. Winds were up to 20 miles per hour, and waves reached 6 feet, making communication with her difficult. With Hurricane Gilma causing dangerous conditions, the Coast Guard asked the Navy for help.

The next morning, the Coast Guard plane saw the woman and her daughter waving from the boat. A Singapore-flagged tanker arrived later to assist but couldn’t rescue them due to the worsening weather.

On Monday, Aug. 26, the Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS William P. Lawrence arrived to attempt the rescue. Time was running out as the storm and the condition of the sailboat gave crews only six hours to act.

A small boat from the Navy destroyer reached the sailboat and successfully rescued the mother, daughter, their cat, and their tortoise. They were brought to safety, and the Navy ship arrived in Honolulu on Wednesday evening, where the mother and daughter received medical care.