In previous posts I’ve talked about how megayacht captains and crew deserve our respect and admiration for the jobs they do. While it’s a rare occurrence, sometimes they end up putting their own lives at risk. In so many ways they are the unsung heroes of the marine industry, which is why the International Superyacht Society created its annual Distinguished Crew Awards. The recipients for 2007 were Capt. Robert Corcoran of Argyll and his crew. (That’s Corcoran in the photo here, taken by Pamela Jones, with John E. Bahen, the owner of Argyll, and Sandy Taylor of Northrop & Johnson, which manages the yacht for charter.) Their story sounds like something out of a Hollywood movie, but it is as real as the terror you can imagine.
Last spring the 153-footer was heading to South Florida from St. Thomas, three days into the journey, when the bosun on watch noticed a boat far too small to be that far from shore. He notified Corcoran, who confirmed his suspicions by grabbing binoculars (the boat was two miles off their bow); he estimated the boat was about 36 feet LOA. Worse, the boat was overloaded with people, including children, and they were desperately trying to get attention. Corcoran spread the word to the rest of the crew and instructed everyone to begin safety drills; they were changing course to provide assistance.
When they were close enough to speak with the boat’s occupants, Argyll’s captain and crew realized they were Cuban refugees. The chief engineer spoke Spanish and began roughly translating: The refugees’ boat lost a propeller and ran out of gas. They had been drifting for three days. And they had no food or water. The engineer also heard a child say, “We’re not going to die now we’re saved.”
Corcoran wasted no time in instructing his crew to collect bottled water, food, blankets, and first-aid items, and they wasted no time in passing it all out. He also contacted the U.S. Coast Guard and informed them Argyll would remain on site until they arrived. (Coincidentally, the Coast Guard had received reports of the very same boat adrift in the days prior but had been unable to locate it.)
As sad a commentary as it is, I think if we’re honest with ourselves, most of us would have hesitated to follow in Corcoran’s and his crew’s footsteps. As the award presenter said the evening they were given the awards, concerns about piracy or missing their expected arrival time in South Florida could have easily kept them from changing their course.
Listed below is every crewmember who was onboard during the incident as well as the current roster. Both groups richly deserve recognition, respect–and thanks, for doing a job most of us aren’t cut out to do.
Current Crew of Argyll
Captain: Robert Corcoran
1st Officer: Tane Rewi
Bosun: Andre van Rensburg
Engineer: Anuar Vasquez
Engineer: Edgardo Pekic
Chief Stewardess: Angie Batchelder
Stewardess: Deanna Valente
Stewardess: Melissa Carroll
Deckhand: Mark Dubyna
Chef: Tim Lock
Crew onboard at time of incident:
Captain: Robert Corcoran
1st Officer: Tane Rewi
Bosun: Christopher Burton
Engineer: Anuar Vasquez
Engineer: Edgardo Pekic
Chief Stewaredess: Angie Batchelder
Stewardess: Kirsty Peacock
Deckhand: Josh Newman
Chef: Patrick Roney
Relief Engineer: Jose Blanco
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