CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Coast Guard has suspended its search for a vessel reportedly taking on water approximately four miles east of Murrrells Inlet, S.C., Friday at 12:30 p.m.
Coast Guard rescue coordinators at Sector North Carolina in Atlantic Beach, N.C., received a garbled mayday transmission from a boater claiming he was taking on water near Murrells Inlet approximately 180 miles away. Coast Guard rescue coordinators from Sector Charleston and Coast Guard rescue crews at Station Georgetown, S.C., did not hear the mayday call.
The Coast Guard led a comprehensive search of the area that included surface and air assets from Station Georgetown, Air Facility Charleston, Air Station Savannah, Ga., and Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., along with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. The rescue crews searched a combined total of approximately 3,000-square miles and approximately 17 hours.
The conditions within the search area were excellent with two- to-three foot seas, 10-knot winds and good visibility. Numerous vessels were seen in the area where the vessel was reportedly taking on water, but none of those vessels were in distress. The Coast Guard suspended its search Saturday at 10 p.m.
