JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Coast Guard and Nassau County Sheriff’s Office partnered in the successful rescue of two fishermen after they abandoned ship about 1-mile south of the St. Mary’s River entrance, Thursday.
Rescued were John J. Mcginty, 62, and Patrick E. Mcginty, 31.
Search and rescue controllers at Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville received a mayday distress call at 5:12 a.m., Thursday, via VHF Radio Channel 16, the international maritime distress frequency. The fishermen were aboard the Sweet Caroline, a 36-foot shrimp trawler, when they hit the south jetty of the St. Mary’s River entrance. The Sweet Caroline began to sink after taking aboard excess amounts of water. Both men dawned lifejackets and made a makeshift raft before abandoning ship.
A Coast Guard Station Mayport, Fla., 45-foot rescue boat crew, an Air Station Savannah, Ga., MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crew and a Nassau County Sheriff’s Office rescue boat crew responded to the mayday distress. The Coast Guard helicopter rescue crew located both men and directed the Nassau County rescue crew to conduct the rescue.
Both men were rescued at 6:58 a.m., and transported ashore where they were reported in good condition.
