As reported by AMVER (The Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue System), the 126 metre mega yacht OCTOPUS rescued a sailor in difficulty on a 38-foot sailboat name Sequel as well as assisted the skipper, who decided not to abandon his vessel. OCTOPUS provided the skipper on board the smaller boat with fuel, food and water, and the skipper then continued his voyage to California at 4 knots.The passenger who embarked on board Octopus was provided with medication for stomach aches and was later disembarked in Honolulu.
The rescue operation has taken place following a 406 MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) 645 miles south-west of San Diego, CA on November 15, 2012. The small sailing vessel was on her way from Hawaii to Catalina at the time of the EPIRB activation, just after their sails got damaged. U.S. Coast Guard rescue personnel at the Eleventh District Command Center received the alert and launched a search aircraft from Sacramento and requested superyacht Octopus to divert and aid. The Lurssen built mega luxury yacht OCTOPUS was about 50 miles from the Sequel, reaching the sailboat in 3 hours. This is the second time since her enrolment in AMVER in 2011, that the 126-metre yacht got involved in a rescue.