August 30, 2024 — Six fishermen were rescued, and their disabled vessel was towed to Satawal Atoll in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) after a coordinated search by international operations. The United States Coast Guard, one of the crews involved in the rescue efforts, has written statements about the importance of a personal locator beacon (PLB) within the commercial fishing community in the U.S. and beyond.
“This operation underscores the vital importance of PLBs in maritime safety. By quickly alerting us to the fishermen’s location, the PLB effectively took the ‘search’ out of ‘search and rescue’ by narrowing the search area significantly and allowing us to focus on the swift recovery of the vessel,” stated Cmdr. Patton Epperson is the search and rescue coordinator for the case.