Coast Guard rescues 3 people near Sealevel, NC

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 10/02/2017 12:00 PM EDT

united states coast guard 

News Release  

Oct. 01, 2017
U.S. Coast Guard 5th District Mid-Atlantic
Contact: 5th District Public Affairs
Office: (757) 398-6272
After Hours: (757) 434-7712

Coast Guard rescues 3 people near Sealevel, NC

A Coast Guard 45-foot Response Boat-Medium's spotlight shines on three people aboard a 19-foot boat near Sealevel, North Carolina, Oct. 1, 2017. The wife of the man aboard the boat had reported the man and two boys missing as per their float plan. Crew from Station Hobucken spotted a flare from the three people shortly after launching to search for them and discovered the vessel had run out of gas. Station Hobucken crew towed the boat back to a local private dock where it was moored and family members were waiting for the three. (U.S. Coast Guard photograph by Petty Officer 2nd Class John F. Zegarra)

Editors' Note: Click on images to download high resolution version.

HOBUCKEN, N.C. — Coast Guard Station Hobucken personnel rescued three people Sunday night after their 19-foot boat ran out of gas in Styron Creek near Sealevel.

Watchstanders in the Sector North Carolina Command Center in Wilmington received a call from a woman at 7 p.m. stating her husband, son and son’s friend were overdue and had not returned at the time stated in their float plan.

A 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew launched from Station Hobucken to search for the overdue people. After sighting a flare the father fired, the crew found the three people aboard their boat in a marsh. The Station Hobucken crew towed the boat to a nearby private dock where the boat was moored up and family members were waiting.

"This is a good example of how filing a float plan and having up to date safety equipment can make all the difference,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Aram Chaghatzbanian, boat crew member on the case. “Upon seeing their flare, our crew was able to immediately locate and rescue these individuals and get them back to their families.”

No injuries or pollution were reported.

For more information on how to fill out a float plan, click on this link: http://www.uscgboating.org/recreational-boaters/floating-plan.php

-USCG-