US fishermen rescued after sending up flares
18/04/2019
Three fishermen have been rescued from their sinking raft after sending up flares.
Terry Britton, Patrick Leoni, and Kyle Haskins were rescued by the United States Coast Guard (USCG), 90 miles off the Naples, Florida, coast.
Crew members in a helicopter from Air Station Clearwater saved the men after their 32-foot fishing boat sank and they spent two hours in a liferaft.
Early one morning in April, watchstanders received mayday calls. Two cruise ships, the Rotterdam and Norwegian Pearl, also reported hearing the mayday calls nearby and the Norwegian Pearl was diverted to assist.
A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew, and an HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane crew from Air Station Miami responded.
Seventh District, Miami, watchstanders later received notification from a distress signal registered to the 32-foot Miss Saturia. St. Petersburg watchstanders contacted the owner of the boat, James Glover, who reported the three men had taken the boat for a fishing trip.
The Ocean Sentry crew later arrived on the scene and spotted strobe lights. The Coast Guard flight crews also saw red flares and located the three men.
The Jayhawk crew hoisted and transferred the men to the air station where medical personnel awaited. There were no reported injuries.
Lt. Tyler Dewechter, one of the Jayhawk pilots, says, “They did everything correctly. The men were familiar with their safety equipment including strobe lights, EPIRB, flares and the life raft. They knew where the equipment was located, which allowed for our quick response.”
The picture shows the rescue 90 miles west of Naples, Florida, Monday, April 8, 2019. The three men used an EPIRB, strobe light and flares after their boat sank. (Credit: U.S. Coast Guard video)
