Incredible two-day rescue mission saves mom and daughter, 7, their pet tortoise and cat who became stranded 1,000m off Hawaii as hurricane approached after boat's captain died

A distressed mother and her seven-year-old daughter have been brought to safety after they were stranded nearly 1,000 miles off the coast of Hawaii as Hurricane Gilma made landfall.

Authorities received a emergency signal from the 47-foot sailboat just past midday on August 24, notifying them that the family was stranded.

The US Coast Guard broadcasted the alert to all ships in the area and deployed an airplane to search for the family. The plane found the ship, a French-flagged vessel named Albroc, around 9am on August 25.

The mother, who in her mayday call said the boat had been 'beset by weather', was seen lighting distress flares on the drifting boat as water washed over the beam of the ship. She and her daughter waved their arms before going back inside the cabin.

Crews were initially unable to reach the family due to rough conditions. But the woman, 47, her young daughter and their pet cat and tortoise were finally rescued and brought to Honolulu around 5am the next day.

The ship's male captain, whose relationship to the pair is unclear, died while on board, the Coast Guard said. His body was unable to be recovered due to weather conditions.

A woman and her daughter, who were stranded nearly 1,000 miles off the coast of Hawaii as Hurricane Gilma made landfall, embrace on the deck of the USS William P. Lawrence as the ship approaches the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Honolulu on August 28, 2024

The French-flagged sailing vessel Albroc is pictured during rescue operations in the Pacific Ocean on Aug. 26, 2024. Authorities received a emergency signal from the 47-foot sailboat just past midday on August 24, notifying them that the family was stranded

Authorities at the Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu received the Albroc's distress signal at 12.33pm on Saturday, August 24. 

The mother said that she and her daughter were in need of rescue after weather caused them to be stranded. She also revealed there was a deceased man on board.

The Coast Guard launched an airplane crew from the Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point which found the Albroc stranded about 925 miles east of Honolulu around 9am on Sunday.

But Hurricane Gilma was approaching the region and conditions were too rough for rescuers to reach the vessel. Officials reported waves of up to 6 feet high and 20mph winds.

The Coast Guard called in additional assistance from the Navy, including a 754-foot liquid petroleum gas tanker which arrived on scene at 5.20pm - over eight hours after the plane had first spotted the boat.

The tanker, however, was unable to reach the boat due to the weather conditions.

A small Navy crew was finally able to carry out the rescue mission around 5am on Monday, August 26. Officials say that due to the condition of the boat, they only had a six hour window to get the family to safety. 

A 7-year-old girl hugs a Navy sailor on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Honolulu on Aug. 28, 2024. The Navy ship launched a small boat crew to rescue the girl, her mother, their cat and tortoise after their sailboat became beset by weather in the path of an approaching hurricane

A small boat crew sails away from the French-flagged sailing vessel Albroc after recovering the mother and daughter during rescue operations in the Pacific Ocean on August 26, 2024

The mother, who in her mayday call said the Albroc (pictured) had been 'beset by weather', was seen lighting distress flares on the drifting boat as water washed over the beam of the ship. She and her daughter waved their arms before going back inside the cabin

The woman, child and their pets were rescued and safely arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Honolulu on Wednesday evening. Representatives from the Coast Guard and the Honorary Consul of France in Hawaii provided care for the survivors. 

The captain's body was left on the vessel, which remains adrift in the ocean. Authorities did not reveal if there are any plans to recover the ship.

His cause of death and the circumstances surrounding why the family were out on the boat in the path of a hurricane remain under investigation.

'Through tireless planning, coordination and teamwork, our watchstanders pieced together the key elements needed for such a dynamic search and rescue case,' search and rescue mission coordinator Kevin Cooper said.

'We are grateful the Seri Emperor and William P. Lawrence were able to reach the mother and daughter, who were caught right in the path of Hurricane Gilma.' 

At the time of rescue operations, Gilma was located roughly 480 miles east of the vessels and had sustained a maximum wind speed of 110mph.

'I am extremely proud of the crew's professionalism in planning and executing the safe recovery of two persons at sea on a disabled vessel in worsening conditions,' US Navy Cmdr. Bobby Wayland said. 

The USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110), an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer homeported in Honolulu, Hawaii, approaches the pier on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam after completing the rescue of a woman, child and their pets on August 28, 2024

'My boat crew – in particular the coxswain – demonstrated deft boat handling and good judgement in approaching the distressed vessel and transferring the survivors. I also appreciate the remarkable coordination and information provided by the USCG throughout the entire operation – very cool to see the Navy/Coast Guard team work together so smoothly.' 

Vice Adm. John Wade, commander, US 3rd Fleet, added: While saddened by the loss of the sailing vessel's master, I couldn't be prouder of the combined efforts of the U.S. Coast Guard and US Navy who saved the lives of two other passengers. 

'I'm particularly grateful for the professionalism exhibited by the crew of USS William P. Lawrence who executed the rescue flawlessly under extremely dangerous conditions.'