Coast Guard rescues three boaters off Georgetown - Coast Guard News

CHARLESTON, S.C. - The three men pictured here, pose for a photo shortly after being rescued from a sinking fishing vessel 60-miles off the coast of Georgetown, S.C., Saturday Jan. 8, 2010. Rescued were: (left o to right) Allen Edwards, 45, Mark Williams, 45, and Tony Bessent, 48. The Coast Guard received a maritime distress signal disseminated by the boaters via an emergency position indicating radio beacon more commonly known to mariners as an EPIRB at aproximately 11:38 p.m. Friday from the 48-foot fishing vessel CJR. The Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter air crew launched and located the disabled fishing vessel approximately 60-miles east of Georgetown at approximately 2:30 a.m. Saturday. In addition to the EPIRB signal, the boaters lit off emergency signal flares to the help rescue crew locate them. All three boaters were safely hoisted at approximately 3:17 a.m. and taken ashore to Georgetown. The men later indicated they were hit by a large wave that flooded the engine room and disable most of the electronic equipment aboard the fishing vessel. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Air Station Savannah, Ga.

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Air Station Savannah, Ga.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – A HH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter air crew from Coast Guard Air Facility Charleston rescued three boaters from a 48-foot fishing vessel off the coast of Georgetown, S.C., Saturday.

Rescued were: Tony Bessent, 48, Mark Williams, 45, and Allen Edwards, 45. Hometowns are unknown.

The Coast Guard received a maritime distress signal disseminated by an emergency position indicating radio beacon more commonly known to mariners as an EPIRB at aproximately 11:38 p.m. Friday from the 48-foot fishing vessel CJR.

The Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter air crew launched and located the disabled fishing vessel approximately 60-miles east of Georgetown at approximately 2:30 a.m. Saturday. In addition to the EPIRB signal, the boaters lit off emergency signal flares to the help rescue crew locate them. All three boaters were safely hoisted at approximately 3:17 a.m. and taken ashore to Georgetown.

There were no reports of medical concerns.

This successful rescue illustrates the importance of maintaining a registered EPIRB while underway. When a satellite picks up an EPIRB’s signal it calculates an accurate position of the distress and the Coast Guard is able to dispatch rescue crews to that location. To learn more about the significance of EPIRBS’s please click here.