The Coast Guard rescued three people after their boat sank 18 miles east of Cumberland Island, Georgia. It said that the crew on the 54-foot powerboat Bacchus did everything right, and that their actions led to a fast and safe rescue.
The rescue started when Coast Guard watchstanders in the Charleston, South Carolina, command center heard a VHF distress call from the Bacchus at 8:18 a.m. on Saturday. The crew said the boat was taking on water and they were moving to a life raft. The crew also activated the boat’s EPIRB, transmitting their exact location.
The Coast Guard diverted the Cutter Heron, an 87-foot patrol boat, and sent a 45-foot response boat from Brunswick, Georgia, and a Dolphin helicopter, from Savannah, Georgia.
They all arrived at the scene as the boat sank and rescued the three crew members, who were wearing life jackets, from the raft. The Coast Guard took all three to Brunswick, where they were in good condition.
“The case showed how quickly an emergency can happen on the water,” said Senior Chief Petty Officer Brad Derflinger, command duty officer in Charleston. “Fortunately, these mariners were well prepared for the unexpected. They were wearing their life jackets, communicated their distress over VHF radio, initiated their EPIRB, and safely entered a life raft before their vessel sank.” Read more:
