Twenty-four-year-old Josh Law, a rescue swimmer with the U.S. Coast Guard, reported that he saved 16 individuals from the Pacific Ocean in the early hours of October 16.
This dramatic rescue took place about 140 miles off the Mexican coast, in an area frequently used by migrant smuggling boats, according to a report from the Associated Press.
Federal authorities are now looking into the incident, and Mexican officials indicated that all those rescued were Mexican nationals.
When the USCG Air Station in Ventura, California, received notification about a sinking boat near Ensenada, Mexico, Law, alongside helicopter pilot Lt. Miyako Miller, quickly prepared for action with their crew of four, moving swiftly into the darkness.
Miller mentioned that she had to navigate using the stars since there was no moonlight available, while Law readied himself for the rescue operation.
Once he was harnessed, Law began swimming to each person in distress, guiding them into the rescue basket. Despite the dry suit he wore filling with water, he pressed on tirelessly.
After the helicopter was filled with survivors, the crew transported them to San Diego where ambulances were waiting. During the flight, Law noted that he had to assist three individuals who seemed to have sustained injuries from shark bites.
Law recalled the chaotic scene when he arrived, describing how those in the water were panicking as large waves crashed around them. “I had to get them to the basket in any way I could,” he remarked, though tragically, eleven other individuals on the scene were not located, as reported by CBS 8.
According to the AP, Customs and Border Protection officials visited a hospital to process the rescued individuals in accordance with immigration laws once they received medical clearance. U.S. officials mentioned that nearly half of those rescued have since been sent back to Mexico.
Law’s name appears on the Coast Guard Aviation Association’s website within their list of rescue swimmers.
The U.S. Coast Guard states that Aviation Survival Technicians (ASTs) are specialized rescue swimmers trained to ensure safety for themselves and others in challenging environments, whether at sea or on land.
“With the equipment they maintain, ASTs operate on Coast Guard helicopters in various situations, from maritime emergencies to land floods and rescues from cliffs. The tasks of an AST demand peak physical fitness, and they are usually assigned to Coast Guard air stations,” the information on the site explains.
