MIAMI- The crew of a Coast Guard HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Clearwater, deployed to Andros Island, Bahamas in support of Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, located two men Sunday morning following the activation of their Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPRIB) when their vessel capsized near Foxtown, Bahamas.
A father and son, from Land O’ Lakes, Fla., were traveling from Foxtown, Bahamas, to Marsh Harbor, Bahamas, when their 25 foot vessel capsized Saturday morning from rough weather.
Seventh Coast Guard District search and rescue coordinators in Miami received notification of the EPRIB signal Saturday night and deployed the crew of an HU-25 Falcon jet from Coast Guard Air Station Miami to search for boaters in distress.
The searches conducted by the Falcon crew yielded negative results and an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew was deployed Sunday morning to conduct a first light search of the area. At 8 a.m., the helicopter crew located the two men stranded on a rock and was able to vector in a good Samaritan vessel to pick up the two men.
The good Samaritan transferred both men with no injuries to Foxtown.
“The EPIRB onboard this vessel was instrumental in saving the lives of these two men,” said Lt. Justin Nadolny, a Coast Guard Search and Rescue Duty Officer in Miami. “Once the EPRIB was activated, we were able to begin a concentrated search and focus our assets in the area of the signal. The Coast Guard cannot stress enough the importance of having safety equipment on board any vessel and to test it occasionally to be sure it is in working order. Doing so could help save your life or the lives of others aboard your vessel.”
