The following is the text of a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard:
(WASHINGTON) — The AMVER participating cruise ship Albatros rescued six fishermen from their sinking boat approximately 400 kilometers west-southwest of Tonga on Saturday.
Rescue authorities in New Zealand received an emergency position indicating radio beacon alert and requested AMVER surface picture information from the United States Coast Guard in addition to launching a New Zealand search aircraft to the distress location.
According to a news release from Maritime New Zealand, the search aircraft located the crew and dropped emergency equipment and a radio. The Bahamian-flagged cruise ship arrived on scene and the fishermen jumped into the water to swim to them. The Albatros crew helped the fishermen aboard and provided food, water and ensured they were uninjured. The survivors remained on the 672-foot Albatros until it arrived in Auckland, Australia.
Albatros, managed by V Ships Leisure, enrolled in the Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System on Jan. 1, 1974 and has earned 16 AMVER participation awards.
