CARRABELlE, Fla, – Coast Guard and Florida state agencies rescued two men from the Gulf of Mexico here, after receiving a report of an overdue vessel.
Coast Guard Sector Mobile received a call concerning over due fishermen off the Coast of Carrabelle and began a search for the missing men and their 19-foot fishing boat Saturday, Oct. 13 at approximately 11 p.m.
Air Station Clearwater Florida launched an HH-60 Jayhawk rescue-helicopter crew, two 87-foot patrol boats Cobia, and Bonito and Florida Wildlife Commission launched a fixed-wing aircraft as well as a boat to assist in search for the two missing men at approximately 11:10 p.m. The HH-60 crew returned to base after flying a search pattern with negative results.
An HU-25A Falcon rescue jet crew from Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala. was launched at 12:35 a.m. to continue the search. The HU-25A crew spotted an overturned 19-foot boat with two persons holding onto the hull of the boat at approximately 1:40 p.m. today.
The two men signaled the HU-25A crew by firing a flare. The crew of the HU-25A dropped a life raft as well as a smoke flare to direct the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Cobia and the FWC vessel J. J. Brown to the rescue site.
The crew of the Cobia arrived on scene and transferred the two men, who were reported to be in good condition, aboard and later transferred them to the FWC vessel J. J. Brown to be taken back to Carabelle.
