Yesterday, July 13, 2020, seven crew members from a United States Coast Guard C-130 aircraft landed in Pohnpei. The aircraft is in the area at the request of State and National Governments to conduct search and rescue operations for a fisherman reported lost at sea on Saturday. The aircraft will refuel and leave today, July 14, 2020.
The crew of the aircraft, originating from Barbers Point, Oahu, HI were housed overnight at the Medical Monitoring Area (MMA) in Dekehtik. In accordance with Pohnpei’s Constitutional Emergency Order 20-03, paragraph 6, search and rescue assets are allowed to disembark within the immediate seaport or airport facilities in the performance of their duties provided that no contact is made and all required health preventive measures are fully complied with during their stay. Accordingly, the crew members were escorted in a separate vehicle by Pohnpei Port Authority officials to the MMA where they stayed overnight and returned to the tarmac in the same manner, i.e. no contact, for their flight this morning at approximately 9 AM.
Kalanghan to the crew of the USCG C-130 Search and rescue aircraft and U.S. Embassy Kolonia for their assistance with the search and rescue operations.