SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A Coast Guard boat crew rescued two fishermen Monday, after their 21-foot Boston Whaler capsized, approximately seven nautical miles northeast of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Rescued are Juan Reyes Serrano, 49, and Benigo Rodríguez, 27, U.S. citizens from Puerto Rico residents of St. Croix, who reportedly departed Monday morning from St. Croix on a fishing trip to the vicinity of Lang Bank, when their boat began taking on water and capsized at approximately 1:20p.m.
Coast Guard Boat Forces personnel in St. Croix received a report from local police, who relayed a cell phone communication from one of the fishermen who was able to contact his wife and report the distress.
A Coast Guard boat crew aboard a 29-foot Response Boat Small II immediately got underway to search for the distressed fishermen. Upon arriving on scene, the Coast Guard boat crew located Serrano and Rodríguez clinging on to the capsized vessel and proceeded to safely recover them from the water.
The two fishermen were transported by the Coast Guard boat crew to Altoona Lagoon in Christiansted, St. Croix, where they were released to awaiting family members.
