Coast Guard’s willingness to ask for help meant this crew made it out alive
When it comes to crisis management, having the humility to ask for help can mean the difference between a narrow miss and utter disaster.
Nobody knows that better than the U.S. Coast Guard and the crew of The Walkabout, a sailboat caught in the fury of Hurricane Julio on the high seas. With their mast snapped off and their vessel flooding thanks to 30-foot waves and 100+ m.p.h. winds, The Walkabout’s three-man crew thought they were doomed, especially after two separate Coast Guard planes were unable to successfully bring rescue supplies to the ship as it was tossed around by the storm.
Thankfully, the Coast Guard had also asked for the help of the 661-foot Matson container ship Manukai, which diverted some 276 miles from its course to assist with the rescue, successfully bringing The Walkabout’s crew on board.
NBC has acquired video of the terrifying conditions, you can see it here.
If the Coast Guard had relied purely on its own resources, it’s almost certain there would be no footage of The Walkabout’s crew safely on dry land. Pulled along in a hurricane and completely disabled, it was only a matter of time. However, thanks to the Coast Guard’s willingness to ask for help, and the cooperation and sheer piloting skill of the container vessel’s crew, this potentially deadly crisis will instead become story for the sailors to tell their grandkids.
The BCM Blogging Team
https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com