The first sign of trouble came in to the Coast Guard in San Juan, a Mayday call from a 38-foot recreational power boat with five men on board that was taking on water in the often-treacherous Mona Passage, the strait between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. The boat already had taken on three feet of water and more was pouring in. The five men had put on their life jackets and were abandoning ship, and they did not have a life raft.
The Coast Guard immediately dispatched a Dolphin helicopter while sending out an urgent message to vessels in the area that could possibly help. The Cape Horn, another power boat, was nearby, and headed for the scene; so did the Puerto Rican marine police.
The helicopter crew located the five men in the water and deployed its rescue swimmer, who hoisted three of them on board. The crew of the Cape Horn rescued the other two, plus the Coast Guard swimmer, and transferred them to the police boat. Everyone ended up on shore, safe and sound, a happy ending to what could easily have been a tragic event. For more:
http://coastguardnews.com/five-boaters-rescued-in-the-mona-passage/2017/05/01/
