AMSA Emergency Towage Vessel Provides Assistance

5 January 2010

On the morning of 29 December 2009 AMSA’s Emergency Towage Vessel (ETV) Pacific Responder was steaming in the vicinity of Cape York when the master noted a small yellow boat drifting nearby with a person standing on the bow waving for assistance.

Pacific Responder closed in on the 5m fibreglass dinghy, passed a line and secured it alongside. The dinghy, carrying three adults and two children, was drifting due to a disabled outboard motor which the Pacific Responder engineer was unable to repair.

The dinghy was towed back to safety at Thursday Island by the ETV’s tender.