Media Advisory

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NORTH ATLANTIC - A member of a Coast Guard HC-130J Hercules aircrew attached to Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., drops a wreath over the at-sea memorial site of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 2011. U.S. Coast Guard video by Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Bob Laura.

LABRADOR SEA, CANADA – Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Monty Nijjar, stationed at Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., looks out over an ice pack that stretches to the coast of Labrador as he pilots an HC-130J Hercules aircraft transporting members of the Coast Guard International Ice Patrol, April 7, 2011. Members of the Ice Patrol will send data gathered on ice conditions, icebergs and their movements to the International Ice Patrol headquarters in New London, Conn.  This data is made available to ships traveling the North Atlantic shipping lanes. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Bob Laura.

ST JOHNS, NEWFOUNDLAND – Crew members aboard an HC-130J Hercules aircraft from Elizabeth City Air Station, N.C., wait to be towed into a hanger after a long day with the members of the Coast Guard’s International Ice Patrol, April 10, 2011.  They were searching for icebergs in the North Atlantic which could affect the shipping lanes.  U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Bob Laura.

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NEW YORK – The Coast Guard is offering accredited representatives of the media seats aboard Coast Guard aircraft during International Ice Patrol flights and the at-sea centennial commemorative wreath-layings over the RMS Titanic resting site, beginning Feb. 1, 2012.

The mission of the International Ice Patrol is to monitor the iceberg danger near the Grand Banks of Newfoundland and provide the iceberg limit to the maritime community.

The RMS Titanic sank on April 15, 1912, after striking an iceberg near the Grand Banks of Newfoundland in the North Atlantic Ocean. The tremendous loss of life in this preventable tragedy led to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea in 1914.

International Ice Patrol was conducted by the Revenue Cutter Service starting in 1913 and was formally established by the SOLAS convention. The sole purpose of the International Ice Patrol is to promote the safe navigation of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean when the danger of iceberg collision exists.

Since the 1960s, International Ice Patrol has commemorated the sinking of the Titanic by dropping wreaths near the location of the sinking.

WHO: accredited members of the news media

WHAT: limited seating aboard Coast Guard aircraft to accredited representatives of the media seats aboard Coast Guard aircraft during International Ice Patrol flights and the at-sea centennial commemorative wreath-layings over the RMS Titanic resting site

WHERE: Flights are aboard U.S. Coast Guard HC-130J aircraft and depart from St. John’s, Newfoundland, CAN

WHEN: Feb. 1 - 9, 2012 
             Mar. 28 – Apr. 5, 2012
             Apr. 11 – Apr. 19, 2012 - centennial wreath laying

Please be advised of the following groundrules:

No electronic equipment (audio or video recording devices, cellular phone, etc.) with the ability to transmit or receive a signal will be permitted aboard the aircraft for safety reasons. Video and audio capture must be direct to cassette. This includes lavaliere microphones.

Flights departing St John’s for the mission flights and at-sea memorial may be delayed due to adverse weather conditions, visibility or aircraft casualty.  Members of the media are advised to make lodging arrangements in St. John’s.

There is limited seating available aboard each flight, 8-10 seats maximum.

Media are responsible for their own transportation to St. John’s.

Interested members of the media should contact Petty Officer 1st Class Thomas McKenzie at 212-668-7114