MEDIA ADVISORY: Coast Guard to hold rescuer, survivor reunion in Charleston

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard 7th District PA Detachment Jacksonville Contact: Coast Guard PA Detachment Jacksonville Office: 904-714-7606/7607 After Hours: 786-393-4138 PA Detachment Jacksonville online newsroom

MEDIA ADVISORY: Coast Guard to hold rescuer, survivor reunion in Charleston

  

Editor's Note: Click on images to download a high-resolution version.

WHO: Coast Guard Air Station Savannah rescue aircrew and survivor 

WHAT: Coast Guard is scheduled to hold a media event where an Air Station Savannah rescue aircrew will reunite with the survivor who was rescued from the water Thursday.

WHEN: Wednesday, June 30th from 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Media should arrive at 9:30 a.m.
               Request media to RSVP to 786-393-4138 by 8 p.m. Tuesday.

WHERE: Charleston Executive Airport- JZI Address: 2744 Fort Trenholm Rd, Johns Island, SC 29455

CHARLESTON, S.C. — A Coast Guard Air Station Savanah MH-65 Dolphin aircrew rescued a man from the water after his sailboat capsized approximately 1 mile east of Stono River Inlet, Thursday. 

The Dolphin's rescue swimmer deployed into the water to assist the man, and the survivor was hoisted to safety and transferred to Charleston County emergency medical services.

The man spent more than two hours in the water before the aircrew arrived.   

U.S. Coast Guard Sector Charleston watchstanders received uncorrelated mayday calls over VHF-FM Channel 16 at 12:32 p.m. Watchstanders were able to refine a search area along several potential tracks. 

The watchstanders directed the launch of two MH-65 Dolphin helicopters to respond. One of the aircrews located the capsized sailboat with one person in the water.

"Our helicopter is equipped with direction-finding equipment that allows us to locate the direction of a distress call very quickly,” said Lt. Cmdr. Jake Wrieden, aircraft commander on the case. “We were fortunate to hear two distress calls during the search and were able to hone in on the survivor using maritime distress Channel 16. This equipment allowed us to locate and rescue the survivor who had been in the water for almost two hours making calls on a survival radio. We had to filter through numerous non- distress calls on Channel 16, which degraded our ability to locate the survivor. We would like to remind all mariners to use Channel 16 for hailing and distress only. You never know who is relying on it."

For more breaking news follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

-USCG-