Flare helps coast guard find two people in disabled boat near Miami
16/05/2022
Two people on a disabled boat off the coast near Miami, USA, used a flare to help the coast guard locate them.
The boat failed one evening in May two miles east of Black Point Marina, off Biscayne Bay and a family member contacted Coast Guard Sector Miami watchstanders.
A Coast Guard Station Miami Beach rescue crew launched. It found the disabled vessel thanks to the flare and towed the boat and two people on board to the marina.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Wyatt Kraft, coxswain at Station Miami Beach, says, “The vessel was disabled and had no means of communication onboard. The cell phone had no battery life and there was no radio onboard.
“Although cell phones are a good backup, they can be unreliable due to gaps in coverage area or a dead battery. The best method of communication while on the water is having a marine radio, a VHF-FM radio set to channel 16.”
The coxswain reminded boaters to wear lifejackets, carry safety gear such as flares and ensure they were in date.
The image is a US Coast Guard photo taken by Petty Officer 2nd Class Nick Ameen.
