Coast Guard watchstanders at the 5th District Command Center in Portsmouth, Va., had received the EPIRB broadcast at 1:39 a.m., Feb. 9, and immediately reached out to partner agencies in Bermuda to confirm the distress signal.

The sailing vessel Wolfhound is seen here approximately 80 miles north of Bermuda in the FLIR camera of a Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules from Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., Feb. 9, 2013. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd class Sarah Bachman and Petty Officer 3rd Class Jerimiah Strombeck

With the beacon unregistered, neither Rescue Coordination Center Bermuda nor the Coast Guard knew who or what they were searching for, or if the vessel had other means of communication available to them.  In contrast, with a properly registered beacon, information regarding the vessels type, color, communication equipment and alternative contacts is quickly available.  It would also expedite Coast Guard notification and nearly eliminate the information gathering process, allowing responders to focus primarily on the rescue efforts.

n emergency position indicating radio beacon is shown secured to a 25-foot Response Boat-Small at Coast Guard Station Curtis Bay. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Brandyn Hill.

Coast Guard watchstanders launched a crew aboard a Hercules aircraft with an operational range of 2,487 miles at approximately 3:45 a.m. while RCC Bermuda reached out through AMVER, the automated mutual-assistance vessel rescue system, to locate nearby a crew of a commercial ship willing to lend a helping hand.

“Typically there are too few rescue boats, cutters, patrol boats, helicopters and aircraft to cover every square mile of ocean,” said Ben Strong of AMVER Maritime Relations. “With AMVER, there are over 21,000 commercial ships that are participating in this search and rescue program.”

The morning of Feb. 9, the crews of the merchant vessels Tetien Trader and the Eurochampion, both more than 80 miles away, responded to the AMVER request and diverted their courses to assist.

Meanwhile, in the air, the Hercules crew used the EPIRB signal to hone in on the distressed vessel, but weather and sea conditions were hampering the search effort.

“There was no moon, and multiple cloud layers and thunderstorm cells blocked any available light provided by the stars,” said Lt. j.g. Caleb Thorp, the Hercules pilot. “The rain was near continuous, which reflected any light emitted from the aircraft and caused our night vision goggles to be useless.  So we secured as many lights on the aircraft as possible to aid the search outside.  We could only see straight down where we saw very rough seas.”

Finally, through the waves and winds, the C-130 crew received a blip on their radar that matched the profile of a sailboat.

Unable to actually see the vessel, and failing to establish communications over the radio, the Hercules crew began to fly over the boat’s location, flashing the plane’s wing tip landing lights to grab the crew’s attention.

The sailing vessel Wolfhound is seen here approximately 80-miles north of Bermuda in the FLIR camera of a Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules from Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., Feb. 9, 2013. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd class Sarah Bachman and Petty Officer 3rd Class Jerimiah Strombeck

“We couldn’t see anything on the first pass, but on the second pass we saw a light cutting through the blowing rain,” said Thorp. “We flashed our lights and the sailing vessel flashed a handheld light back at the aircraft.”

The sailing vessel, later identified as the 48-foot long Wolfhound, lost all power and was at the mercy of the Atlantic Ocean.  With the power out, its radio was useless, and the four Irish nationals aboard had no other means of contacting a rescue agency.

Within six hours, both of the AMVER merchant vessels arrived on scene, led there by the Hercules crew.  The crew of the 738-foot Tetian Trader eventually came alongside the Wolfhound and helped the crew leave their stricken ship.

On average, there is a commercial ship in the AMVER system that is involved in saving a life somewhere in the world every 33 hours.

The rescue of the crew aboard the Wolfhound demonstrates how the culmination of EPIRB technology and the partnerships between multiple agencies save lives. The only other thing that might have better facilitated this successful search and rescue effort would have been if the sailboat’s EPRIB had been registered and up to date. With an unregistered EPRIB, a distress alert may be delayed before reaching the Coast Guard, often in situations in which there is not a moment to spare.

Lt. j.g. Caleb Thorp, an HC-130 Hercules pilot, is shown here on the tarmac of Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., Feb. 20, 2013. Thorp was the pilot of a Hercules in a distress case involving the sailing vessel Wolfhound, located 680 miles east of North Carolina and 75 miles north of Bermuda on Feb. 9, 2013. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class David Weydert

A Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircrew consisting of Lt. j.g Kevin Clark, Petty Officer 3rd class Sarah Bachman, Petty Officer 3rd Class Jimmy Feenstra, Petty Officer 1st Class Micah DeVries, Lt. j.g. Caleb Thorp, and Petty Officer 3rd Class Jeremiah Strombeck are shown at Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., Feb. 20, 2013. The aircrew, including Petty Officer 2nd Class Cory Salamon, not shown, had responded to a distress alert from the sailing vessel Wolfhound, located 680 miles east of North Carolina and 75 miles north of Bermuda on Feb. 9, 2013. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class David Weydert

Estrella’s lawyers informed U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams that they were voluntarily dropping his lawsuit against Federal Insurance Co. because of their belief that he could not obtain a fair civil trial set for early November.

Estrella, 60, whose fortune is built on an auto insurance company named after him, was not in the courtroom Tuesday. His lawyers made their decision only after the judge refused their request to delay the civil trial until a parallel state criminal insurance fraud case against Estrella’s former boat captain, Robert Figueredo, is resolved.

Figueredo faces trial on insurance fraud charges stemming from his alleged theft of Estrella’s 85-foot Azimut yacht, Star One, from his Key Biscayne property on May 3, 2009.

Two of Figueredo’s boating buddies, Eric MacKenzie and Jose Caballero, have been convicted in the state case after admitting they helped steal Estrella’s yacht and scuttle it in a deep trench off the Bahamas. It was recovered partially submerged near Andros Island.

MacKenzie also gave a sworn statement in the state case, saying he was told by Figueredo that Estrella directed Figueredo to sink the vessel to collect the insurance money in exchange for a percentage of the payout. Estrella has not been charged with any wrongdoing.

Had the civil insurance dispute gone to trial, MacKenzie and Caballero planned to testify for Federal Insurance against Estrella. Figueredo was expected to invoke his Fifth Amendment right not to testify at that trial, according to lawyers in the case.

Nicolas Estrella’s son, a lawyer who goes by the same name and now runs his company, sat through the proceeding in federal court Tuesday, but said nothing. Estrella’s main civil attorney, who consulted with his client by phone during a break in the hearing, later issued a statement.

“Mr. Estrella’s repeated efforts to go to trial were frustrated by events beyond his control,” attorney Robert Burlington said in the statement. “He asked to go trial immediately after his former captain’s criminal case is over so that he would have the benefit of testimony that is not available to him today.

“He wanted a fair fight but, as he shared with me: ‘Life’s too short and I can’t wait forever. I’m putting this behind me.’ I understand and respect his decision.”

As the controversial case headed for trial, Federal Insurance’s lawyers asserted that Estrella plotted with his former boat captain and the two other men to sink his boat, saying it was an “intentional scuttling.” Estrella owned the boat outright, but had struggled to sell it.

Federal’s main lawyer, Christopher Fertig, said Estrella’s suit seeking payment of his $3 million claim was filed in “bad faith,” and that he plans to seek upward of $290,000 in costs and undetermined legal fees following his client’s victory.

Among those costs: hauling Estrella’s yacht from the Bahamas to Miami, storage of the vessel at a boatyard on the Miami River, and other marine services. Also included were $45,000 in expenses related to the legal fight with Estrella.

Estrella’s attorney said that, with voluntary dismissal of the case, his client is only responsible for Federal Insurance’s court costs.

As for the status of Estrella’s yacht: Star One is no longer seaworthy, but it still might fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars.

We did something we had hoped we would never do, and that’s capsize an AC72,” said skipper Jimmy Spithill. “The most important part is that all the crew are safe, and no injuries.”
It was the 11-man team’s eighth day on the water since the launch of the sleek new yacht in August.

“We called for a bear-away as we were out training,” tactician Tom Slingsby said in reference to a type of sailing maneuver. “The winds were blowing about 25 knots, and there was strong ebb current at the time. We started the bear-away, and as the boat accelerated it pitch-poled.”
Some crew members were flung into the chilly bay, while others clung to the boat. All eventually went into the water because of concern that part of the vessel would come apart.
Fortunately, there were support boats nearby, and rescues were swift. The vessel, however, was dragged upside down out of the bay by powerful ebb tide and was not recovered until early Wednesday morning. It’s currently at Oracle Racing’s San Francisco base.
The full extent of the damage was not immediately clear but team officials told the San Francisco Chronicle that said the wing, a long, mast-like apparatus designed to capture wind, was destroyed.
The footage posted below was captured by a spectator and shows the capsize from a distance, making it appear less dramatic than it actually was.

Said Spithill: “There’s no question this is a setback. It’s going to be a big test for this team. But, I’ve seen this team in a similar situation in the last campaign, before we won the America’s Cup. A strong team will bounce back, and this won’t stop us from winning the America’s Cup.
“Obviously, we’ve got a lot of work, and we have to look at our plan now. I’m still confident in the team we’ve got and we can go out and win again.”
The America’s Cup finals, which will feature the super-swift AC72s, will be held next September in San Francisco Bay.

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater announced the arrest of Robert Figueredo by detectives from the Florida Department of Financial Services Division of Insurance Fraud (DIF).

“There is no such thing as a victimless crime,” CFO Atwater said. “Those who reap the spoils of perpetuating fraud victimize every Florida consumer. Those who cheat their fellow Floridians out of their hard-earned dollars will be captured and put behind bars.”

The division initiated an investigation into the sinking of the 80-foot yacht “Star One” reported stolen from Key Biscayne on May 4, 2009, one day after it was discovered scuttled in an area known as the “Tongue of the Ocean” offshore from the Bahamas.

Atwater said suspicions of Figueredo’s involvement were initially raised by a statement from Figueredo’s ex-girlfriend, who told police that he had bragged to her that he had sunk the boat deliberately.

Figueredo gave a sworn statement to the insurance company that he had no knowledge of the theft, and he was completely unaware of who had taken the Star One, according to officials. Federated Insurance Co. received the claim for the sunken boat.

Figueredo was booked into the Miami-Dade County Jail. If convicted on the charge, he faces up to 30 years in prison.

- Jones Act for captain & crew

- extensive navigational limits

- waive and reduced deductibles

- favorable depreciation terms

- expenses incurred for substitute yachts

Call or email KSA Marine Insurance for a free quote.  (855) KSA-BOAT or info@ksamarineinsurance.com

A few facts comparing the Costa Concordia disaster to the most famous Titanic

4,234 passengers vs 2,224 on Titanic

1,023 crew vs 913 on Titanic

2,300 tons of fuel oil compared to 5,892 tons of coal on Titanic

‘Tis the Season to Protect Gifts

 If you’re giving and getting gifts this holiday season, think about protecting the gifts. Americans spend handsomely during the holidays.

Trusted Choice^® insurance agents and brokers suggest you to take stock of what you own – and how it’s insured – soon after you finish unwrapping the Christmas gifts.

Most consumers protect what they own with homeowners or renters insurance. Homeowners insurance covers personal property for a percentage of the insured value of the home. For instance, a $300,000 home might have its possessions insured for 50 percent of that amount. While $150,000 might seem like a large number, the value of clothing, electronics, furniture and kitchen appliances in the home adds up. Homeowners coverage will reimburse a consumer if those items are damaged by fire or stolen.

Around the holidays, the value of what you own can change quickly. Rest assured that, when someone in the family gets new electronic equipment or jewelry for Christmas, those items are automatically insured by homeowners or renters coverage. But that coverage might be limited, so it’s timely to check your insurance now.

There are two limitations on coverage for possessions: 1) amount of coverage and 2) risks covered.

Amount of Coverage. Homeowners insurance may cover personal property for actual cash value and not replacement cost, depending on the policy. For example, a piano purchased five years ago has declined in value due to wear and age — this is known as “depreciation.” Your insurance contract may reimburse the actual cash value (original cost, minus depreciation) of the piano, and not for the price of a new piano to replace the one that was damaged in a fire.

By contrast, replacement-cost coverage is based on the amount it costs to buy a new piano. Replacement-cost coverage costs about 10 percent more, notes the Insurance Information Institute.

Additionally, many homeowners policies put a dollar-amount cap on certain categories of property. So even if you have a large amount of personal property coverage on your homeowners policy, you might have a “sub-limit” of $2,000 for jewelry. In that case, a new pair of diamond earrings, combined with an engagement ring, might push the value of the jewelry above the limit. (Even replacement-cost policies have sub-limits for certain types of property such as furs and jewelry.)

Deductibles on homeowners policies reduce the amount of any claim check. Deductibles are a way that the homeowner shares the risk of loss with the insurance company.

Risks Covered. Homeowners policies provide coverage for, at a minimum, loss or damage of property due to fire, lightning, and windstorm as well as theft and vandalism. Depending on the policy, additional risks such as water damage may be covered.

However, for personal property, some typical risks might not be covered. For example, if a toddler picks up a diamond ring off the bathroom counter and flushes it down the toilet, that loss likely is not insured.

Valuables Coverage: Who Needs It?

To provide additional amounts of coverage and to insure against additional risks (including breakage and accidental damage), many consumers should consider “valuables” coverage. Sold as an add-on to a homeowners or renters policy, this coverage is sometimes called a “valuable articles floater” or a “valuables rider.”

Valuables coverage is suitable for expensive items such as jewelry, furs, art, antiques, fine furniture, and fine rugs. Valuables coverage either gives you a) a “schedule” or list of individually-listed items covered, or b) coverage for categories such as jewelry, fine arts, etc. Scheduled items typically need to be appraised by a third-party appraiser, or have their purchase price documented.

One consideration in buying valuables insurance is whether you need to protect the financial value of the items, and not merely the sentimental value. Another criteria: if the item is likely to appreciate in value, check out valuables coverage.

A valuables policy or rider typically provides all-risks coverage for the items listed on it.

If you’re a collector of items such as collections of dolls, dollhouses, and trains, a different type of policy might be appropriate: Collectibles insurance. Available on a stand-alone basis, collectibles coverage provides a few thousand dollars of coverage for a small premium. Homeowners or renters coverage might pay only a small reimbursement if these items are stolen or damaged. Collectibles coverage also protects against more risks than homeowners coverage.

Insurance is the last line of defense against financial loss, though. There are two vital ways to protect your property, especially as you add to it during the holidays:

– Keep an updated inventory of what you own. A written record of the cost, date/place of purchase, and description of your possessions is invaluable in knowing what you own. It’s easier and faster to get claim payments when you can document what you lost. Homeowners insurers and consumer software offer home inventory spreadsheets, including some that allow you to keep photos and receipts. Give a copy of the inventory with your Trusted Choice insurance agent or broker, and keep a copy outside your home.

– Protect your property. A secure home, with especially valuable items kept in locked cabinets and/or fireproof boxes, is the best way to deter the thefts that cause so much financial loss.

Your Trusted Choice^® insurance agent or broker can guide you as to which type of coverage you need for what you own. The holiday season is a good time to ask him or her about what you own and how it’s insured.