Ship with sailors rescued at sea reaches US base in Okinawa

The USS Ashland arrived Monday at White Beach Naval Facility, five days after it picked up the women and their two dogs from their storm-damaged sailboat, 900 miles southeast of Japan. (Photo By U.S. Navy photo by Paul Farley, Public Domain)

WHITE BEACH NAVAL FACILITY, Japan — A U.S. Navy ship carrying two sailors from Hawaii after it rescued them in the Pacific has docked at an American Navy base in Okinawa, Japan.

The USS Ashland arrived Monday at White Beach Naval Facility, five days after it picked up the women and their two dogs from their storm-damaged sailboat, 900 miles southeast of Japan.

Jennifer Appel and Tasha Fuiava had left Honolulu on May 3 for what was supposed to be an 18-day trip to Tahiti.

Upon the ship’s arrival, the women could be seen standing on the bridgeway with the commanding officer and others about six stories high at the top of the ship.