Great International Effort in Rescue!

[Elessar]

This is how the system can work!

Well done to All. BZ

https://content.govdelivery.com/acco...letins/1f79d18

[NightTrain]

Ironically, his goal was to raise awareness for mental health.

My question is who is going to pay for several warships and the effort of 5 different nations to go out and rescue this guy? Sometimes shit happens and everyone has to drop what they're doing to go rescue someone, but this guy deliberately put himself in a bad spot.

He made it a little over 500 miles from Norfolk before giving up and having to call for rescue in his rowboat.

[Elessar]

Ironically, his goal was to raise awareness for mental health.

My question is who is going to pay for several warships and the effort of 5 different nations to go out and rescue this guy? Sometimes shit happens and everyone has to drop what they're doing to go rescue someone, but this guy deliberately put himself in a bad spot.

He made it a little over 500 miles from Norfolk before giving up and having to call for rescue in his rowboat.

I hear your question but can only answer for the USA. We do not 'bill' or charge for a rescue or response
unless it can be proven the subject is a habitual problem - then it takes a lot of legal work. Hoaxes and
other false Mayday's are another matter.
Other nations, I do not know. Canada might have the biggest stake in it by launching a C-130.

[NightTrain]

I hear your question but can only answer for the USA. We do not 'bill' or charge for a rescue or response
unless it can be proven the subject is a habitual problem - then it takes a lot of legal work. Hoaxes and
other false Mayday's are another matter.
Other nations, I do not know. Canada might have the biggest stake in it by launching a C-130.

Italy diverted a Warship to assist, but it was 80 miles away and that other ship got there first. Those can't be cheap. I know it's written off to a training exercise but it just irritates me when a knucklehead knowingly puts himself in danger with a stunt like this and obviously there's a risk involved for the rescuers - and it's all needless. IMO, there's a difference between ignorance and recklessness and how it should be handled after the event.

A couple of days ago, some tourists set up camp in the middle of a river not far from here on a gravel bar when the river was already at flood stage and rising. They had to be rescued by a Trooper helicopter. That's bad enough, but they didn't knowingly put themselves in that position - it was just a case of ignorance and that can be forgiven.

This guy knew it was a risky stunt and did it anyway, and likely won't have to pay for anything despite a real cash outlay by several nations to save him. Really, what kind of moron gets in a rowboat and tries to go from Norfolk to Scotland? Awareness for Mental Health, indeed! I suspect he was after those slaps on the back and women telling him what a brave and noble person he is to row across the Atlantic.

I just think he should be held responsible for at least the fuel used to rescue. I'm sure it's north of $100k and that would be a deterrent for future knuckleheads thinking of pulling silly stunts like this.

Anyway, great job on the part of the rescuers. Those guys always have my utmost respect.

[Elessar]

Italy diverted a Warship to assist, but it was 80 miles away and that other ship got there first. Those can't be cheap. I know it's written off to a training exercise but it just irritates me when a knucklehead knowingly puts himself in danger with a stunt like this and obviously there's a risk involved for the rescuers - and it's all needless. IMO, there's a difference between ignorance and recklessness and how it should be handled after the event.

A couple of days ago, some tourists set up camp in the middle of a river not far from here on a gravel bar when the river was already at flood stage and rising. They had to be rescued by a Trooper helicopter. That's bad enough, but they didn't knowingly put themselves in that position - it was just a case of ignorance and that can be forgiven.

This guy knew it was a risky stunt and did it anyway, and likely won't have to pay for anything despite a real cash outlay by several nations to save him. Really, what kind of moron gets in a rowboat and tries to go from Norfolk to Scotland? Awareness for Mental Health, indeed! I suspect he was after those slaps on the back and women telling him what a brave and noble person he is to row across the Atlantic.

I just think he should be held responsible for at least the fuel used to rescue. I'm sure it's north of $100k and that would be a deterrent for future knuckleheads thinking of pulling silly stunts like this.

Anyway, great job on the part of the rescuers. Those guys always have my utmost respect.

In a way, you can see some of the frustration we have to deal with in long-distance responses.

It is hard to prevent a person from taking a risk like this, although I will say this gent was well-prepared for the attempt.

One case I coordinated was a solo rower that wanted to be the first woman to row across the Pacific. The weather on this
particular effort was not at all in her favor, though I was going to have
a cutter get on scene to terminate the voyage, but found out she was a British citizen. Thus, I had to get the State
Dept and British Counselate in San Francisco involved. We did hoist her and bring her ashore. She eventually tried
again and made it!

Plucky lady! https://www.rozsavage.com/

I stopped one clown that was determined to "Walk from Santa Monica to Honolulu". He had pontoons for his feet,
a long armed kayak paddle, and was going to tow a sled. A sharp-eyed LA County Sheriff's Sgt spotted him and held
him until I could get a Marine Inspector there to evaluate it for a declaration of a "Manifestly Unsafe Voyage" - which
can only be issued by the Area Commander. The declaration was almost instant!