VIDEO AVAILABLE: Coast Guard rescues 3 people, dog offshore Apalachicola, Florida

 

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 rescues 3 people, dog offshore Apalachicola, Florida

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NEW ORLEANS — The Coast Guard rescued three people and a dog from a capsized fishing vessel offshore Apalachicola, Florida, Thursday.

All passengers on board, including the dog, were rescued and no injuries were reported.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Mobile received a report at approximately 11 a.m. that the 64-foot fishing vessel Pete's Dream was taking on water approximately 70 nautical miles off Apalachicola, Florida, with three people and a dog on board. 

In the process of launching rescue assets, Sector Mobile received an additional report that all three people and the dog abandoned ship and boarded a life raft. One of the passengers was able to use a satellite phone to communicate to shore.

At approximately 1 p.m., a Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew located the raft near the last known location of the fishing vessel.

Shortly after, a Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew arrived on scene and picked up the three passengers and the dog. They were transported back to Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater.

"Abandoning ship into the life raft and bringing a satellite phone was the absolute right decision," said Lt. Cmdr. Corrie Sergent, search and rescue mission coordinator at Sector Mobile. "Thanks to their quick actions, the Coast Guard was able to locate them and bring them safely home to their families."

Involved in the rescue:

• Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew 
• Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew 

-USCG-