Source: Press Release Ricardo da Rosa (GM) - F/V Pacific Princess
This early morning at 00.00 hours 05/04/13 UTC at 02:49S 163:23E, the U.S. Built and owned tuna purse seiner FV Pacific Princess, spotted a small boat with 2 men lost at sea.
The Pacific Princess sent its work skiff to this small vessel, a 14 foot aluminum boat, and got them aboard before retrieving their small boat and putting it aboard as well.
This information comes directy from the general manager of the Pacific Princess Mr. Ricardo da Rosa.
Pacific Princess
The two men have been adrift and lost at sea for the last three weeks. Both men were weak but, are in good stable health. They are from the Ocean Island of the Gilbert Islands, part of the Pacific country of the Republic of Kiribati. The two lost men from Ocean Island are named; Teikauea Tetika and Tiiribo Tataua
At 00.30 hours both men are in good health and on board and the purse seiner is now on course to Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands. ETA 1 day 12 hours; or Monday 7am Honiara time for return to their home country. The Captain has agreed to return their small vessel once the FV Pacific Princess is in that area.
The Pacific Princess is a U.S. built Tuna Purse Seine vessel, built in San Diego, CA in 1978, it is 100% U.S. owned, and has operated out of American Samoa since 1981.
The owner, management and all 3 U.S. officers (Capt. Alfred Canepa, Navigator Frank Sanfilipo, and Chief Engineer, Angelo Canepa are from San Diego, USA. The Pacific Princess was the first Purse Seine vessel to visit the island country Tonga with US Congressman Eni Faleomavaega.
