by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 2:05 PM ET, Wed June 3, 2026
Crew aboard a Silversea ship recently assisted the U.S. Coast Guard in a dramatic rescue.
A 74-year-old Canadian man was sailing his 29-foot vessel, Alice, from Hawaii to British Columbia when he encountered bad weather 489 miles off the coast of Tillamook, Oregon.
While navigating through gale-force winds and 30-foot seas, the vessel lost its mast and the engine stopped working. The man also injured his shoulder.
He had completed the voyage four times before and he was equipped with sufficient food, water, a life jacket, life raft and a satellite communication device, which likely saved his life.
He got in touch with authorities, who launched a rescue operation. The U.S. Coast Guard alerted nearby vessels of the man's situation and crew aboard Silversea’s Silver Whisper answered the call.
The ship diverted 120 miles off course to rescue the man.
Crew members pulled the man off his vessel and onto the ship, where the onboard medical team provided care until the ship reached Vancouver.
“This mariner’s experience and preparedness allowed the Coast Guard and other agencies to communicate with him and effect a rescue,” says Scott Giard, Coast Guard Northwest District Search and Rescue Program Manager. “His foresight to bring a satellite communicator averted a tragedy. We would also like to thank Silver Whisper for their assistance with this rescue.”
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