Coast Guard news

[Saltwater Fishing]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Coast Guard rescued three people after their boat began to take on water approximately 1.5 miles east of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge Sunday.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg received a 911 relay from the Pinellas County Dispatch at approximately 1:18 p.m., regarding three people in distress after their 22-foot Sea Cat began to take on water. The owner of the vessel called 911 from his cell phone.

The Coast Guard Cutter Hawk, homeported here, was diverted to the scene from a patrol along with a 25-foot small response boat crew from Coast Guard Station St. Petersburg.

Once on scene, the crew of the Hawk was unable to locate the persons in distress. Watchstanders from Sector St. Petersburg directed the 25-foot small response boat crew to conduct a search of the surrounding area.

The 25-foot small response boat crew found the three people in the water clinging to their boat, which had drifted with the current approximately 1.5 miles east of their first location.

The Sea Cat submerged with only had 4-feet of its bow exposed.

The three people were pulled into the small boat safely and taken to O’Neills Marina in St. Petersburg.

Ramon Garza, a 66-year old male and the owner/operator of the Sea Cat has made arrangements with a local company to salvage the vessel.

No injuries or pollution were reported.

All three persons in distress were wearing their lifejackets.

The Coast Guard reminds all boaters that in the event of a maritime emergency, the use of a float plan, VHF radio, life jackets and an Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon are critical on the waterways. Check weather conditions before going out and be prepared.

http://coastguardnews.com/coast-guar...at/2010/09/19/

[Saltwater Fishing]

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Coast Guard rescue aircrews ended their search pending further developments Sunday afternoon for a woman in the northern coast of Arecibo, Puerto Rico.

Still missing is an 18-year-old woman, who reportedly was thrown into the water, along with another man Friday afternoon, after they were struck by a wave while walking on the rocks of La Poza del Obispo Beach in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. The man was able to safely reach shore.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends on the disappearance of their loved one,” said Captain Eduardo Pino, Coast Guard Sector San Juan commander. “The sea can be very deceiving at times, this is another tragic reminder of the hidden dangers it may present.”

The Coast Guard launched a multi-day search after Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan received a call from a 911 Emergency Services operator notifying the incident Friday afternoon.

Since the search began Friday, Coast Guard rescue crews conducted a total of eight searches aboard Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopters from Air Station Borinquen, Aguadilla and a Coast Guard HU-25 Falcon Jet from Air Station Miami, that was diverted to Puerto Rico from its deployment to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Coast Guard search efforts spanned out approximately 534 square nautical miles throughout the search area. Also involved the search efforts are Puerto Rico State Emergency Management and Puerto Rico Police rescue crews.

http://coastguardnews.com/coast-guar...co/2010/09/19/

[Saltwater Fishing]

BALTIMORE – The 50-year old woman who reportedly jumped into the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal from a 40-foot yacht was found alive on shore by a Chesapeake City Fire Department boatcrew, Saturday.

Rescued was Corri McNeil, 50, of Downingtown, Pa.

McNeil was on a 40-foot yacht with her boyfriend in the C&D Canal approximately 1.5 nautical miles west of the Chesapeake City Bridge in Chesapeake City, Md., when she reportedly jumped into the water around 8:20 p.m.

A 25-foot Response Boat-Small crew from Coast Guard Station Stillpond, Md., along with a Chesapeake City Fire Department boatcrew, a Cecil County Fire Department boatcrew, two Maryland Natural Resources Police boat crews, a Maryland State Police helicopter and a 65-foot Dolphin helicopter rescue crew from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City, N.J., responded. Crews arrived on scene at approximately 8:45 p.m., and began searching for McNeil.

A Chesapeake City Fire Department boatcrew found McNeil alive on shore approximately 0.75 nautical miles west of the Chesapeake City Bridge at 11:17 p.m., and was transferred into the boat. McNeil was be taken to Union Hospital in Chesapeake City and treated for hypothermia.

All Coast Guard assets have returned to base and the case is now closed.

http://coastguardnews.com/overboard-...ve/2010/09/19/

[Saltwater Fishing]

BALTIMORE – The Coast Guard along with partnering agencies are responding to a report of a 50-year-old woman in the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal approximately 1.5 nautical miles west of the Chesapeake City Bridge in Chesapeake City, Md., Saturday.

A member from Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay in Philadelphia, Pa., contacted Coast Guard Sector Baltimore watchstanders at 8:21 p.m., reporting that a 50-year old woman jumped into the water from a 40-foot yacht in the C&D Canal. There were two people aboard the yacht, the woman and her boyfriend.

A 25-foot Response Boat-Small crew from Coast Guard Station Stillpond, Md., along with a Chesapeake City Fire Department boatcrew, a Cecil County Fire Department boatcrew, two Maryland Natural Resources Police boatcrews are responding. Crews began arriving on scene at approximately 8:45 p.m. A Maryland State Police helicopter responded and a 65-foot Dolphin helicopter rescue crew from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City, N.J., is en route.

The woman was reportedly not wearing a life jacket.

http://coastguardnews.com/coast-guar...al/2010/09/18/

[Saltwater Fishing]

CLEVELAND – The U.S. Coast Guard rescued three people and recovered the fourth deceased after their 18-foot vessel overturned approximately two miles northeast of Little Presque Isle, Mich., in Lake Superior at about 1:30 p.m., Sept. 19, 2010.

The names of those missing and rescued are not available at this time.

Coast Guard Station Marquette launched a rescue crew aboard a 25-foot Response Boat-Small (RB-S) after receiving a distress call via VHF-FM radio channel 16 at about 1 p.m. The RB-S crew located three of the boaters at about 1:30.

A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Traverse City, a Coast Guard Auxiliary vessel and marine assets from the Marquette County Sheriff’s Department assisted in the search for the missing person.

VHF-FM channel 16, the international hailing and distress channel, is monitored by the Coast Guard and state marine patrols around the clock. In addition, unlike cellular phones, distress calls broadcast over VHF-FM channel 16 will be heard by all mariners in the vicinity. Urgent safety information and weather reports for boaters are also broadcast over marine band radio channels.

http://coastguardnews.com/coast-guar...ch/2010/09/20/

[Saltwater Fishing]

MOBILE, Ala. – The Coast Guard located a diver approximately 20 miles south of Pensacola, Fla., in the Gulf of Mexico, Sunday, after he was reported missing.

Rescued was Rodney Johnson.

Coast Guard Sector Mobile watchstanders received notification from a commercial dive vessel, the Starbuck, at approximately 1:45 p.m., Sunday, that one of its divers was overdue from a 20-minute dive.

The Coast Guard Sector Mobile command center diverted an HC-144 aircraft from Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile to search for the diver. The HC-144 aircraft and crew located Johnson in the water three miles from the Starbuck at approximately 2:15 p.m.

“The Starbuck called us on channel 16, which was vey useful because the dive boat, aircraft and the cutter could all coordinate on it,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew Carlin, an operations unit controller for Sector Mobile.

The HC-144 dropped two life rafts to Johnson and directed the dive vessel to the position. The Starbuck then recovered Johnson safely, who was reported to be fatigued but in good condition.

A Coast Guard 41-foot utility boat (UTB) and crew from Coast Guard Station Pensacola and the Coast Guard Cutter Bonito, an 87-foot coastal patrol boat homeported in Pensacola, assisted in the search for the diver.

The Coast Guard urges all mariners to keep a functioning marine-band radio on board their vessel. Marine-band radios are more reliable than cell phones due to battery life and limited coverage area.

http://coastguardnews.com/coast-guar...la/2010/09/20/

[Saltwater Fishing]

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Coast Guard Station Port O’Connor assisted two boaters off the Port O’Connor coast, Sunday.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi received a call at approximately 4:10 p.m. from the Calvin County Police Department reporting that an 18-foot skiff was taking on water with two people aboard, 1 mile east of Coast Guard Station Port O’Connor.

A 25-foot Response Boat-Small and crew was launched from Coast Guard Station Port O’Connor. The RB-S crew arrived on scene and assisted the two men in de-watering the skiff and then transferred the men to the Coast Guard vessel for transportation to a local marina. The RB-S crew towed the skiff to The Fishing Center Marina.

No injuries were reported.

http://coastguardnews.com/coast-guar...rs/2010/09/20/