PHILADELPHIA – The Coast Guard assisted a man after his duck hunting boat overturned near Rehoboth Bay, Delaware, at about 7:40 a.m., Saturday.
Watchstanders at Coast Guard Station Indian River in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, were notified by the man via radio, that his boat reportedly capsized when he shifted quickly in the boat while it was anchored in the vicinity of Herring Creek.
A 24-foot Special Purpose Craft-Shallow Water rescue boat crew was launched from Station Indian River.
Once on-scene, rescuers recovered the man from the water, placed his 10-foot boat in a stern-tow and brought him to shore where he met with awaiting emergency medical services.
“Fishermen and duck hunters alike should always wear a life jacket and have a reliable form of communication like a VHF radio,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Wakeley, coxswain of the rescue boat. “This time of year, temperature can really impact a rescue. The life jacket will increase your odds of staying afloat if something happens, and the radio will help us to zero in on you quickly.”
The Coast Guard recommends duck hunters and fishermen file float plans, which can be as simple as letting a friend or loved one know where they are going and when they are due back to aid rescuers. Additionally, the free Coast Guard Mobile App allows boaters to register information about their boat to aid rescuers during an emergency, as well as file electronic float plans.