Editor's note: CITRO, the Citizen’s Rescue Organization on the island of Curacao is a sister, volunteer maritime rescue organization with very close ties to our USCG Auxiliary. The Curacao citizen featured in this article, Mr. Curd Evertsz, was made an honorary member of the USCG Auxiliary at NACON 2004 by the National Commodore Bill Edgerton and Past National Commodore Everett Tucker (see photo by Mel Borofsky).

On Friday afternoon June 15 there was high drama at Caracasbaai (Curacao) where three people (two from the US and one local) had to be rescued from a perilous situation. CITRO together with the (Curacao) Coast Guard immediately organized a rescue operation in which they managed to bring all 3 victims to safety.

CITRO lifeboat and helo exercise.

Two American youngsters on a personal watercraft (PWC) got into a jam at the West side of Caracasbaai during the afternoon hours. The sea was as rough as the North shore making it easy for anyone on a PWC or in boat to rapidly find themselves in trouble.

This is an even more dangerous situation for tourists who are unfamiliar with the territory. The youngsters were riding the PWC too close to shore in rough seas and were thrown from the PWC in the direction of protruding rocks. They were able to swim towards a rock but were stuck in a dangerous area with high breakers.

You could compare the situation to the message you receive on your cell-phone when you can’t get a connection: "… the place you have landed in the water on in this rocky shore can not be reached…by any vessel…"

High waves beat them back and forth and no one could get close to them by boat. A boat was immediately put available by the owner of 'Downtown Diving' and sent with 'Baja Beach' personnel on board to try and pick up the two American youngsters.

The treacherous rocks.

Although their intentions were good, they were not able to handle the situation properly and it soon turned from bad to worse when one of the people on board the boat also found himself in the water with the two American youngsters. They managed to recover the PWC but now 3 people's lives were in danger.

Once they sounded the alarm CITRO quickly got into action together with the Curacao Coast Guard. They immediately dispatched the Coast Guard's superrhib (rigid hull inflatable boat) as well as CITRO's rescue boat "Griend" to Caracasbaai. The location of the victims was not accessible by boat so a diver was sent to reach the 3 stranded victims and help them out of the perilous situation they were in.

Mr. Curd Evertsz, the CITRO diver on board is trained and fit to perform in these types of rescue operations. Tied to long lines and safety gear Mr. Evertsz jumped into the rough sea and started the rescue operation. Following a few tense and dangerous moments he managed to reach the victims and don them with a safety vest in order to take them back to safety. All this was, of course, carefully planned and orchestrated considering the danger involved. Strong back-up from units on scene, both from CITRO and the Curacao Coast. Close cooperation was mandatory.

Care had to be taken not to turn a disaster in an even worse disaster. This was truly a ‘high-risk operation’ but by working together, coordinating with the boats from the Coast Guard as well as CITRO they were able to limit the risks and lower the victims safely from the rocks they were stuck on. All victims were donned with safety vests and were then carefully helped through the rough sea with the help of safety lines. All went well and they were soon able to pull all three victims on board the CITRO boat and take them back to shore, where their parents were waiting anxiously for their safe return.

All three victims as well as Mr. Evertsz of CITRO suffered some bumps and bruises as a result of the rough sea but nothing that needed medical attention. All the cuts and scrapes were superficial.

A situation that could have ended in tragedy thankfully resulted in a happy ending. There were a lot of happy faces and hugging all around. CITRO warns that it is extremely important to recognize the power of the sea and to do your utmost to take preventive measures.

Take the time to be informed of sea conditions before you venture close to shore, next to the shore, on the sea, in sea or underwater. It takes less time to inform yourself of potential dangerous sea conditions then it takes to rescue you from one of these dangerous situations.

In this case the story had a happy ending but it could also have ended in disaster. Being properly informed of sea conditions and safe equipment is not only important for those who go to sea but also those who operate, manage or work in establishments involved with water sports. Lives could be unnecessarily lost causing a lot of grief and what for? Simply because nobody took the time to prepare for a situation they could have prepared for. That is why it's so important to work on prevention. You can avoid disaster, don't forsake yourself or others.

Said Mr. Evertsz, "I set up the rescue-plan, scrambled the crews, activated an ops coordinator, briefed the RCC, and briefed the parents of the youngsters as well as the operator from where the SPWC was rented. We grounded all vessels running up and down to 'try and do something' as that would only produces more SAR cases, and secured the area. Subsequently I coordinated our departure, jumped in my wet suit & gear and off we went. To what later resulted in that high-risk but well thought over and successful rescue operation."