Media Availability: Coast Guard continues searching for 39 people, good Samaritan rescue 1, off Florida coast

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 01/25/2022 09:45 PM EST

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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 continues searching for 39 people, good Samaritan rescue 1, off Florida coast

Coast Guard Cutter Ibis' crew searching for 39 people off Fort Pierce Inlet, Florida, Jan. 25, 2022. A good Samaritan reported to Sector Miami watchstanders at 8 a.m. that he had rescued a man clinging to a capsized vessel approximately 45 miles east of Fort Pierce Inlet. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

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Editor's Note: The Coast Guard Seventh District staff invites the media to attend a press conference, Wednesday, at 9 a.m., at Coast Guard Sector Miami, 100 MacArthur Causeway, Miami Beach, FL 33139. Media are requested to arrive Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. with credentials. Media must RSVP by 7:30 a.m. to 786-367-7649 to be given security clearance.

MIAMI — A good Samaritan rescued one person, Tuesday, from a capsized 25-foot vessel off Fort Pierce Inlet. 

Coast Guard air and surface crews are searching and will continue to search throughout the night for 39 people between Bimini, Bahamas, and Fort Pierce Inlet where the survivor was rescued. 

The survivor was brought to a local hospital for symptoms of dehydration and sun exposure.

The good Samaritan reported to Sector Miami watchstanders at 8 a.m. that he had rescued a man clinging to a capsized vessel approximately 45 miles east of Fort Pierce Inlet. 

The survivor reported he left Bimini, Bahamas with 39 other people Saturday night and encountered severe weather, causing the vessel to capsize Sunday morning. The survivor also reported no one was wearing life jackets. 

Coast Guard cutter crews began searching at approximately 8:20 a.m. and searched more than 1,300 square miles, about the size of Rhode Island.

Crews helping with the search:

  • Coast Guard Cutter Ibis crew
  • Coast Guard Cutter Etheridge crew
  • Coast Guard Cutter Skipjack crew
  • Coast Guard Station Fort Pierce 45-foot response boat-medium crews
  • Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew
  • Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater HC-60 Jayhawk Helicopter aircrew
  • Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater C-130 Hercules aircrew
  • Navy 2nd Fleet aircrew
  • Coast Guard Auxiliary Tiger aircrew

Reported weather and sea state Saturday - Sunday: 

  • Severe cold front
  • 17-23 mph winds
  • 7-9 foot seas
  • Small craft advisory

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-USCG-