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communicates with the Air Force Search and Rescue Coordination Center at Clark AFB which, in turn, broadcasts the location of the vessels on the high frequency international distress channel in order to alert passing ships which might come to the aid of the boat. In addition, if merchant ships are in the vicinity, the aircraft commanders attempt to communicate on HF international distress or by means of lights, flares, circling the vessels, wagging wings and flying in the direction of boat in distress. Aircraft commanders have met with mixed success in these endeavors, Some ships have altered course to investigate; others may not have understood the intention of the aircraft maneuvers; and still others apparently decided, for whatever reason, not to stop.
In order to facilitate communication with passing surface vessels, the Seventh Fleet has obtained hand-held very high frequency bridge-to-bridge radios for the maritime patrol aircraft. (These are the radios used by masters and pilots to communicate under the International Rules of the Road ). In recent tests conducted with naval surface units, the VHF have proven to be effective to a range of about 15 nm. By these means, it is hoped that improved coordination can be achieved among air, naval surface, and merchant vessels when a boat in distress is sighted.
In the three weeks since the maritime surveillance program has been in operation, over 1,400 contacts have been investigated from the air. Several boats have been assisted with food, water, fuel and medical supplies, and four unseaworthy
boats were encountered whose refugees were rescued (some 180 souls ), These refugees were brought to first ports of call where the
US guaranteed to resettle them,