Crew of NYK Starlight Receives Japan' Medal of Honor
November 22, 2007
On November 16, Japan' red-ribbon Medal of Honor was awarded to the officers and crew of NYK Starlight for their daring rescue of two balloonists off the coast of Japan in January 2004. Captain Peter Damian Misquitta, the master of NYK Starlight at the time of the incident, attended the award ceremony with his wife and accepted the award on behalf of the crewmen. The ceremony was held at Japan' Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and was followed by an audience with the emperor.
The red-ribbon Medal of Honor is awarded to individuals who have risked their own lives to save the lives of others. In the early morning hours of January 27, 2004, the officers and crew manning NYK Starlight demonstrated the integrity that NYK seeks in its seafarers by saving two Japanese balloonists who had landed in rough seas some 1,500 kilometers off the coast of Miyagi.
Maintaining vessel safety and protecting the environment receive great attention within NYK. However, preserving human life remains of paramount importance to all that NYK does, so NYK commends the judgment and virtue demonstrated during this rescue operation.