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Coast Guard rescues two U.S.
tourists on sailboat adrift in the Pacific
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff This weekend, Coast Guard officers from the Puntarenas* province station reported the rescue of two U.S. tourists. They were in a boat near the coast with the district of Quepos*. According to a report by the rescuers, one marina located in Quepos gave the warning alert about a sailboat that was drifting offshore of the Pacific coast. The GC45-2 ship patrol rescuers were sent to check the area, where the sailboat was expected to be. After a review of the maritime zone, the ship named Runaway was found. It had just left hours before from the marina in Quepos. According to the report, the sailboat experienced a mechanical failure in the fuel tank, so the two crew members could not return to the port. The officers towed the sail to the marina in Quepos. Where both tourists received first aid attention. They were reported in good health. The rescuers did not report the names of the two men, but it was confirmed that both are U.S. citizens and came to the country as tourists. Related to the most recent tourist rescues, in May the Coast Guard saved a U.S. tourist who suffered respiratory problems while diving, as A.M. Costa Rica, previously reported.  In that case, rescuers from the station of the National Coast Guard Service of Flamingo*, in Santa Cruz, Guanacaste, rescued a U.S. citizen surnamed Smith, 32, who suffered respiratory problems while diving. Rescuers reported that the incident took place in the vicinity of Santa Catalina Island* about 10 kilometers away from the Flamingo coast. The area is a recognized site for recreational and professional diving. The coastguard moved interceptor boat GC 38-18 to the Santa Catalina Island and then transported the tourist to the Flamingo Station. "The woman suffered decompression while diving, so she received first aid," the rescuers said in its report. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, decompression sickness is a disorder in which nitrogen dissolved in the blood and tissues by high-pressure forms bubbles as pressure decreases. Symptoms can include fatigue and pain in muscles and joints. In the most severe type, symptoms may be similar to those of stroke and can include difficulty breathing and chest pain. People are treated with oxygen and recompression therapy, high-pressure, or hyperbaric oxygen. Limiting the depth and duration of dives and the speed of ascent can help with prevention. The Coast Guard officers also coordinated with personnel of the fire department, as well as with private paramedics to move the tourist to the clinic of the town of Huacas* in Santa Cruz. "The patient was brought in stable condition,” the rescuers said. In March the Coastguard officers of the station of Caldera, Puntarenas rescued a U.S. citizen, surnamed Meyer-Goer, 20 years old, who had suffered an accident while he was windsurfing in the Gulf of Nicoya*.  "After several minutes of searching, the officers observed a surfboard of bright colors, floating in the sea, the man was holding [on] between the board and the sails," said the coastguard on its report. The officers rescued the tourist and after a medical examination at the site, he was taken to the Coast Guard station. According to Captain Luis Miranda, head of the Coast Guard station, "we did a routine medical check-up and he did not have anything serious. We took him to the place where he had left his car to continue his trip. We found him in time. " According to the testimony Meyer-Goer gave to the officers, he was practicing his windsurfing skills when the strong winds that came up were a surprise. "The weather was ideal, but suddenly the wind began to blow and to blow ... and I could not return. When I realized it was far away. It was difficult for me to go back. It was about six in the afternoon when some cargo ship called to the coastguards. I could not get back, thank God they found me and helped me," said Meyer-Goer. --------------------- Are tourists non-taking enough security measures when they come to practice extreme sports or activities in Costa Rica? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to: news@amcostarica.com |
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