A Zodiac Maritime tanker named Horten successfully rescued a Belgian rower after his vessel, the City of Liverpool, capsized in the Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico. The incident occurred during the World’s Toughest Row Race, a grueling 3,000-mile competition from Spain to Antigua. The 47-year-old rower was forced to abandon his boat after it was hit by two rogue waves amidst 13 to 15-foot seas, prompting him to deploy his life raft.
On January 21, around 2:00 AM local time, the U.S. Coast Guard received an emergency distress signal from the rowboat, indicating a possible emergency approximately 1,100 nautical miles east of Puerto Rico. Additional signals from personal locating devices confirmed the distress. The Coast Guard’s Sector San Juan Command Center attempted to reach the rower but received no response. Consequently, they issued a call for assistance, alerting the Horten and other vessels in the area.
The Horten, which was en route from Germany to Offshore Guyana, diverted over 12 hours and traveled approximately 110 miles to reach the distress location. Upon arrival, the crew spotted the life raft and successfully recovered the dehydrated rower using a life ring, ensuring his safety after nearly 24 hours in distress. Tanuj Luthra, COO of Zodiac Maritime, praised the crew for their professionalism and effective coordination with the Coast Guard, which was instrumental in saving the rower’s life.
