MULTIMEDIA RELEASE: Coast Guard rescues St. Thomas mariner 6 miles southwest of Turks and Caicos

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 06/29/2018 04:42 PM EDT

united states coast guard 

Multimedia Release  

June 29, 2018

U.S. Coast Guard 7th District Southeast
Contact: 7th District Public Affairs
Office: 305-415-6683
After Hours: 786-367-7649
7th District online newsroom

Coast Guard rescues St. Thomas mariner 6 miles southwest of Turks and Caicos

A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater rescue swimmer talks with the survivor, of the sunken 36-foot sailing vessel Wings, Friday, June 29, 2018 approximately 6 miles southwest of Big Sand Cay, Turks and Caicos.

A rescue swimmer with Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater talks with and prepares the survivor of a sunken 36-foot sailing vessel to be hoisted Friday, June 29, 2018 approximately 6 miles southwest of Big Sand Cay, Turks and Caicos.  A mariner follows a Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater rescue swimmer to safety Friday, June 29, 2018 after he was rescued from a sunken sailing vessel 6 miles southwest of Big Sand Cay, Turks and Caicos.

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MIAMI — The Coast Guard rescued a mariner Friday from a sinking sailing vessel 6 miles southwest of Big Sand Cay, Turks and Caicos.

Rescued was Robert Petersen, 66, from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.

At approximately 9:30 a.m. watchstanders at Coast Guard 7th District Command Center received a 406 megahertz emergency position indicating radio beacon alert from the 36-foot sailing vessel "Wings" with one mariner aboard. Watchstanders directed the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew, currently deployed in the Bahamas.

The Jayhawk crew located the sailing vessel, hoisted Petersen and transported him to Providenciales, Turks and Caicos at 11:53 a.m. with no reported injuries.

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-USCG-