Coast Guard rescues St. Thomas man 6 miles southwest of Turks and Caicos

Images: U.S. Coast Guard District 7, Air Station Clearwater.

A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater rescue swimmer talks with the survivor, of the sunken 36-foot sailing vessel Wings, Friday, June 29, 2018 approximately 6 miles southwest of Big Sand Cay, Turks and Caicos. The Coast Guard 7th District Command Center received a 406 megahertz emergency position indicating radio beacon alert from the 36-foot sailing vessel Wings with one person aboard and rescued the mariner.

MIAMI — The Coast Guard rescued a mariner Friday from a sinking sailing vessel 6 miles southwest of Big Sand Cay, Turks and Caicos.

Rescued was Robert Petersen, 66, from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.

At approximately 9:30 a.m. watchstanders at Coast Guard 7th District Command Center received a 406 megahertz emergency position indicating radio beacon alert from the 36-foot sailing vessel "Wings" with one mariner aboard. Watchstanders directed the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew, currently deployed in the Bahamas.

The Jayhawk crew located the sailing vessel, hoisted Petersen and transported him to Providenciales, Turks and Caicos at 11:53 a.m. with no reported injuries.

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Coast Guard, good Samaritan rescue 5 after boat capsizes

Video by Petty Officer 2nd Class Ashley Johnson, U.S. Coast Guard District 7

An Air Station Clearwater HC-130 Hercules air crew spots five boaters in the water clinging to debris after their boat capsized 22 miles west of Anclote Island, Florida, June 28, 2018. A Station Sand Key 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boatcrew transported the boaters to shore with no reported injuries.

SAND KEY, Fla. — The Coast Guard and a good Samaritan rescued five boaters Thursday after their 30-foot boat capsized 22 miles west of Anclote Key.

Rescued were Carollwood natives Jason Holmes, 42, and David C. O'Neal; Todd Mack, 53, from Hudson, Michael Redding, 68, from Temple Terrace, and Jeff Kennedy, 60.

At 10:05 a.m., an Air Station Clearwater HC-130 Hercules airplane crew on a training flight spotted five boaters clinging to debris and immediately deployed a life raft. Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast via VHF-FM radio channel 16. A good Samaritan aboard the "Two Georges", a charter fishing boat from Tarpon Springs, responded to the broadcast and rescued the boaters from the water.

Mack, one of the rescued boaters, said when the boat started sinking the men began throwing life jackets, coolers and safety gear in the water. "Most importantly we had an EPIRB."

Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons send boaters' positions to rescue personnel once activated in an emergency. 

Coast Guard District Seven watchstanders received the EPIRB signal, but the Hercules crew had already spotted the five boaters in the water.

"It was a wonderful sight," said Mack, who saw the Hercules crew about 15 minutes after entering the water.

A Coast Guard Station Sand Key 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew was launched. The boatcrew transferred the boaters from the Two Georges to the RB-M and transported them back to the station with no reported injuries.

"Readily accessible safety equipment is so important," said Petty Officer 3rd Class Matthew Whitaker, a Station Sand Key crewmember who transported the boaters to shore. "We recommend all boaters have a registered EPIRB, and know where all their equipment is in case of an emergency."

HC-130 Hercules, ©U.S. Coast Guard

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Coast Guard medevacs man from boat 52 miles west of Homosassa River

Video by Petty Officer 2nd Class Ashley Johnson

An Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew medevacs a 78-year-old man from a 35-foot boat 52 miles west of Homosassa River, Florida, Thursday, June 14, 2018. The man was transported to Tampa General Hospital after suffering from symptoms of a stroke.

CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Coast Guard medevaced a 78-year-old man Thursday from a boat 52 miles west of Homosassa River.

Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders received a distress call at 1:21 p.m. via VHF-FM marine band radio channel 16. A crewmember aboard a 35-foot boat reported a man was suffering from symptoms of a stroke and needed emergency medical assistance.

A Coast Guard Seventh District flight surgeon recommended the man be medevaced.

An Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew was diverted and medevaced the man to Tampa General Hospital for further care.

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