VIDEO: Holland America Line ship rescues pilot who ditched plane

From left: 2nd Officer Jan-Willem Slofstra, Staff Captain Anton Rijekeboer, 2nd Officer Pieter Zandhuis, rescued pilot Louis Morton, Captain Eric van der Wal, Asst. Boatswain Wardy Azzaury, Sailor AB Mohamed Margajaya, 1st Officer Keith Falconer, 3rd Officer Simon Butters, Medical Officer Mike Turner.

Holland America Line on Sunday made its third rescue at sea of the young year, coming to the aid of pilot who ditched his single-engine plane.

The Coast Guard videotaped the entire incident, from ditch to rescue.

HAL said the Veendam rescued pilot Louis Morton, who was in a life raft 225 nautical miles off the coast of Maui. The ship, while sailing to Lahaina, answered a request for assistance from the Coast Guard.

Morton experienced problems with the fuel system of his Cirrus SR-22, deployed the aircraft’s airframe parachute and descended to the sea. He exited the plane into a life raft.

HAL said Morton was in good condition when he boarded the Veendam. He disembarked on Monday in Lahaina.

The Veendam is sailing an 18-day Hawaii cruise roundtrip from San Diego. The cruise departed Jan. 20.

On Jan. 3, the Zuiderdam rescued eight crew members from a sinking vessel in the Caribbean. On Jan. 4, the Zaandam came to the aid of seven stranded crew members at the Arctowski Polish research station at King George Island in Antarctica.