A 52-foot sportfishing boat hit the Charleston, South Carolina, jetty early Sunday morning, but a fast response by the Coast Guard and other organizations saved all five people on board. No one was injured in the accident.
The Charleston Coast Guard station received a call from Sea Tow at 2:10 a.m. on Sunday, saying that the boat, Strike Finder, had hit the southern jetty leading into the harbor with five people on board.
The Coast Guard sent a 45-foot response boat and a Dolphin helicopter out to help. It also contacted the MSC Antonia, which was heading into the harbor at the time; the captain said he could see the Strike Finder on the jetty.
The Coast Guard also was able to reach a passenger on the Strike Finder via cell phone. The passenger said the boat was stuck on the jetty, it was taking on water, and all five people were wearing life jackets.
A North Charleston Fire Department boat arrived at the jetty and rescued all five people from the boat. It transferred them to the Coast Guard response boat, which carried them to the Ripley Light Marina.
The owner said he would arrange salvage. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is investigating the accident.
“The immediate and swift response of our Coast Guard boat and helicopter crews along with our Charleston area maritime partners was vital in safely rescuing all five people from the vessel,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Reilly Taggart, a watchstander at the Coast Guard’s Charleston command center.
Agencies involved in the rescue, in addition to the Coast Guard, the Charleston Fire Department and Sea Tow, included the Sullivan Island Fire department, Mount Pleasant Fire Department, Charleston Pilots, and TowBoat US. Read more:
https://www.live5news.com/2020/03/22/rescued-boat-after-crash-into-jetty/
