ANTIGUA & BARBUDA SEARCH AND RESCUE

We are pleased to announce that ABSAR, through the generosity of Captain Marc Fitzgerald and owner Peter Harrison of SY Sojana, has begun testing a “new” concept in quick response rescue craft.  Captain Fitzgerald offered us the use of their VSV (very slender vessel) to begin testing it’s usefulness as a medium range, quick response, all weather, rescue vessel.

The concept is to operate the “X-ray” for medium range accidents and emergencies at sea.  These would include EPIRB activations with no communications to the vessel, medical emergencies, Mayday calls where a RIB response would be prolonged or delayed due to poor weather conditions, etc.

The vessel is a VSV, wave piercer, originally designed for use by special forces.  It runs on a 315 hp Yanmar turbo diesel with a Mercruiser Bravo 3 leg to stainless steel duo counter-rotating props.  L.O.A. 33 feet, Beam 5 feet, Draft 3 feet, Color Silver, Cruise speed 30+ kts, Range 300+ nm, Crew up to 4 persons in cockpit.  X-ray is flying a Yellow “ABSAR” burgee and will operate with a amber LED flashing light to alert other vessels to our location and presence.

X-ray is not yet in full service with ABSAR, but in “testing” for the proof of concept as a rescue asset.

Please see the photos below.