Coast Guard responds to injured fishermen 70 miles southwest of Marco Island

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 03/19/2019 09:29 AM EDT

united states coast guard 

News Release  

U.S. Coast Guard 7th District PA Detachment Tampa Bay
Contact: Coast Guard PA Detachment Tampa Bay
305-965-4672
PA Detachment Tampa Bay online newsroom

Coast Guard responds to injured fishermen 70 miles southwest of Marco Island 

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Coast Guard responded to the report of an injured fishermen Monday approximately 70 miles southwest of Marco Island.

Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders received a call on VHF marine radio Channel 16 at approximately 7:15 a.m. from a crew member on board the 34-foot fishing vessel reporting a fellow crew member suffered a head injury. 

Watchstanders dispatched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater and the Coast Guard Cutter Decisive (WMEC-629), a 210-foot cutter homeported in St. Petersburg to respond.

The MH-60 aircrew arrived on scene and lowered a rescue swimmer. The rescue swimmer reported the injured man to be unresponsive and appeared to be deceased. 

The cutter Decisive crew and a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew from Coast Guard Station Fort Myers Beach escorted the fishing vessel to station Fort Myers Beach where Marine Casualty Investigating Officers from Sector St. Petersburg conducted a marine casualty inspection and were assisted by Coast Guard Investigative Services, Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Medical Examiner’s Office.

The cause of the incident is under investigation. 

No further information is available at this time.

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-USCG-