Cooperation, EU – Baltic States, Latvia, Lithuania, Security, Transport, Water

The rescue operation started after the Lithuanian Navy's Marine Rescue Coordination Center was notified at around 4 p.m. on Thursday that a Lithuanian-owned Leopard 24 yacht had suffered an engine failure. The boat was drifting at sea some 15 nautical miles off Estonia's Saaremaa Island.

Since the yacht's engine failed in Latvia's search and rescue responsibility area close to Estonia's coasts, the Lithuanian center contacted the Latvian and Estonian maritime rescue coordination centers, asking them to initiate a rescue operation for the four people aboard the boat.

The Latvians dispatched the Latvian Navy's patrol boat Astra to help the yacht. The Astra reached the area at around 7 p.m. and began to tow the yacht to the port of Ventspils. Another Latvian naval boat, Rezekne, was dispatched to help two seasick members of the crew.

The Latvian center informed the Lithuanian center after midnight that the Rezekne had brought the Estonian and Finnish nationals back to Ventspils and the Astra had towed the Leopard 24 with two Lithuanian nationals aboard to the Latvian port.

Neither of the rescued people needed medical treatment, the ministry said.