Eric and Charlotte Kaufman and their two daughters Lyra, 1, and Cora, 3, were rescued by the U.S. Navy after being stranded in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico.

Navy Rescues Family Off Coast Of Mexico

The Kaufman family had just embarked on a sailing adventure in late March and planned to sail across the Pacific Ocean when they found themselves in need of help a few hundred miles off the Mexican coast. Thursday, April 3, they sent out a distress signal after their boat, the Rebel Heart, had lost all steering and communication and Lyra had become ill.

The California Air National Guard’s 129 Rescue Wing coordinated with the Navy to enact a rescue. Four pararescumen jumped onto the scene, and helped stabilize Lyra’s condition while waiting for transport. Saturday, the rescue ship, the USS Vandegrift arrived to coordinate a plan to get the family and the pararescumen onboard the ship safely and everybody was safe on the USS Vandegrift by early Sunday morning.

“The bottom line is the safety and security of not only the family members that are on board, but also of all the personnel that are involved to save the infant. That is paramount,” said 2nd Lt. Roderick Bersamina with the 129th Rescue Wing.

Charlotte And Eric Kaufman Defend Their Lifestyle

Unfortunately, one thing that could not be saved was the Rebel Heart, which had to be sunk, leaving the family with close to nothing in terms of material possessions. Eric and Charlotte Kaufman lived on their 36-foot boat with their two young daughters before embarking on their most recent trip. The couple has been chronicling their adventures on the Internet, with a Rebel Heart website and Facebook Page, and critics have been quick to judge the safety, or lack thereof, of their lifestyle.

“We understand there are those who question our decision to sail with our family, but please know that this is how our family has lived for seven years, and when we departed on this journey more than a year ago, we were then and remain today confident that we prepared as well as any sailing crew could,” Eric and Charlotte wrote in a statement released Sunday.

They insist that they took all necessary precautions before embarking on such an ambitious trip with two infants, and there have not been reports to the contrary. Furthermore, in their statement, the Kaufmans thanked their rescuers and supporters.

“[We] would like to express how grateful we are to the men and women of the Coast Guard, California Air National Guard and Navy who rescued our family, especially the pararescumen and the crew of USS Vandegrift. We are very thankful to be safe and well,” Eric and Charlotte expressed.

The cause of Lyra’s illness has not been released, but it is believed that she suffered from salmonella. She is reportedly undergoing treatment in San Diego, where the family is based and was returned by the Navy.

With their boat and many of their possessions gone, Sarah English, Charlotte’s sister, has begun collecting donations to help the family transition from their life at sea. English has already acquired some basic necessities, such as clothes and diapers for the baby.

– Olivia Truffaut-Wong