Coast Guard assists in rescue of two fishermen

News Release

September 2, 2017 U.S. Coast Guard 8th District Heartland Contact: 8th District Public Affairs Office: (504) 671-2020 After Hours: (618) 225-9008

Coast Guard assists in rescue of two fishermen

NEW ORLEANS – Coast Guard located two fishermen drifting in a life boat off of Panama City, Florida, Saturday.

Coast Guard Sector Mobile watchstanders received notification at 9 p.m. Friday from the Eighth Coast Guard District Command Center of an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) signal coming from the area of the Panama City coastline. The Franklin County Sheriff Department later reported a possible life raft with two people on board.

Watchstanders at Sector Mobile directed the launch of a Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile HC-144 Ocean Sentry fixed-wing aircrew and a Coast Guard Station Panama City Response Boat-Medium boatcrew to search for the raft.

The raft was located at approximately 11:30 p.m. by the aircrew, and was recovered by a good Samaritan vessel. The survivors were later transferred to the Franklin County Sheriff who brought them to shore Saturday morning.

“This case is a prime example of the great coordination and teamwork between the Coast Guard, local law enforcement, and the maritime community,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Mark Cole, an operations specialist and command duty officer at Sector Mobile.

Involved in the search was:

• Coast Guard Station Panama City Response Boat-Medium crew
• Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile HC-144 fixed-wing aircrew
• Franklin County Sheriff Department

 

 

-USCG-