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The French and Dutch Caribbean Coast Guards rescued the operator of a jet ski that had capsized halfway between Saba and St. Maarten on Thursday, writes The Daily Herald.
The jet-ski driver, a 50-year-old resident of St. Maarten, had left Saba to return to St. Maarten and ran into trouble halfway through his journey when the engine of the jet-ski died and the machine was in danger of sinking.
On receiving a distress call, the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard immediately contacted the Rescue and Coordination Centre in Martinique, which is in charge of rescue operations in this area.
The French Coast Guard, the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard, Search and Rescue Foundation and Royal Dutch Navy all deployed their units to provide assistance.
The search proved difficult, as the man was wearing a dark life jacket. The jet-ski eventually was spotted by a French aircraft. The search units were directed to the location and the French Coast Guard was the first to arrive. They took the man aboard, after which he was transferred to the crew of the Dutch Coast Guard’s Super-RHIB.
The Dutch Navy’s Fast Raiding Interception Special Forces (FRISC) took the jet-ski in tow. Together they sailed to the Coast Guard’s substation in Simpson Bay, where an ambulance was waiting. The man was treated on the spot and proved to be in good condition.