CAPE CHARLES, Va. — A fire forced a boat owner to abandon his 41-foot vessel, Resolute, and jump overboard into the water 16 miles east of Fisherman Island, Sunday.
The boater contacted the Coast Guard at 5:07 p.m. via VHF-FM channel 16, before abandoning his boat, and kept in constant communications while in the water with a hand-held radio.
Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads launched an HH-60 helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City and a 25-foot Response Boat – Small crew from Coast Guard Station Cape Charles.
Station Cape Charles crew arrived on scene and pulled the man from the water.
A Virginia Beach fire boat took the man back to shore, and salvage operations are pending.
