Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-65 Dolphin helicopter File Photo
NEW ORLEANS — The Coast Guard rescued three boaters from a disabled fishing boat Saturday near Delacroix, Louisiana.
Coast Guard Sector New Orleans watchstanders received a distress call at 11:40 a.m. from a disabled 19-foot recreational fishing vessel with three people aboard who were unable to verify their position. Watchstanders derived the vessel’s location by cellphone triangulation and coordinated the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-65 Dolphin aircrew to assist.
The helicopter crew arrived on scene, hoisted all three boaters, and transferred them to Sweetwater Marina in Delacroix.
The boaters were last reported to be in stable condition.
“It was our watchstanders’ training and experience that lead us to use cell phone triangulation to locate this vessel,” said Lt. Seth Gross, a Sector New Orleans search and rescue mission coordinator. “We urge the public to always carry an EPIRB, GPS, or other locating devices on board their vessels in case of emergencies like this.”
