Car carrier Hoegh Brasilia (IMO 9368895), which was en route from Auckland to Hitachinaka, rescued five fishermen on March 12th. They had been missing since March 9th near Houk Island, Chuuk.
An extensive US Air Force and US Coast Guard search effort located the fishermen off the remote Houk Island in the South Pacific. The five men had gone fishing on a 23ft skiff.
Joint Rescue Sub-Centre Guam was notified during the evening of March 11th that the skiff was overdue. The watchstanders issued a broadcast to mariners. The USCG deployed an HC-130 Hercules plane from Air Station Barbers Point and diverted a USCG Cutter.
The watchstanders also asked for volunteer commercial vessels in the area to assist in the search.
On March 12th an Andersen Air Force Base on Guam sent out a KC-135 Stratotanker crew, which found the mariners 50 miles southwest of the Polusuk Atoll. The plane stayed on scene until the USCG C-130 crew arrived and deployed an SAR kit with food, water and handheld radios.
The Hoegh Brasilia arrived shortly thereafter and recovered all the crewmen. JRSC Guam directed the vessel to proceed to Houk Island, and to remain offshore overnight. 2007-built, Panama-flagged, 51,731 gt Hoegh Brasilia is owned by Chijin Shipping SA and managed by Kambara Kisen Co Ltd, both of Numakuma-cho, Fukuyama-shi, Hiroshima-ken, Japan. ISM manager is Union Marine Mgmt Serv Pte Ltd of Singapore. It is entered with North of England on behalf of Chijin Shipping SA