GRAND ISLE, La. — A good Samaritan and a Coast Guard boatcrew rescued one person from the water 19 miles offshore Grand Isle, Friday.
Watchstanders at the 8th Coast Guard District command center received a 406 emergency position indicating radio beacon for the shrimping vessel Andy & Johnny Jr.
Coast Guard Sector New Orleans established radio communications with the distressed vessel and issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast.
Sector New Orleans directed the launch of a Coast Guard Station Grand Isle 45-foot Response Boat — Medium boat-crew, a Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew, and a Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala., HC-144 fixed-wing crew.
The Cajun Fisher was first of several good Samaritans to arrive on scene and reported that a crewmember from the fishing vessel Andy & Johnny Jr. had fallen overboard without a lifejacket. The Cajun Fisher began broadcasting the information to other vessels in the area who began searching. The motor vessel Jack located the crewmember in the water and threw life rings, and an un-named catamaran recovered the crewmember and delivered him to the Coast Guard boatcrew. The boat-crew transported the crewmember back to Station Grand Isle to awaiting emergency medical services personnel.
“We would like to thank the mariners that responded. Excellent teamwork was displayed by the vessel Cajun Fisher, motor vessel Jack and the GIS Crusader,” said Lt. Sara Vinh, Sector New Orleans. “Your actions helped the Coast Guard save this man’s life. He was very fortunate to be successfully recovered while not wearing a life jacket. The odds of being saved are increased dramatically by wearing a life jacket.”
The Coast Guard advises all mariners and boaters to always wear a life jacket, since there is little if any time to don a life jacket when an accident occurs. Life jackets increase the chances of survival and enhance your visibility to first responders.
The Coast Guard recommends boaters have an EPIRB on board their vessel. An EPIRB provides search-and-rescue coordinators with vital information such as phone numbers and the description and type of vessel, which can help reduce the time it takes to locate anyone in distress. Boaters should register their EPIRB at www.beaconregistration.
For more information on EPIRBs and other signaling devices, clickhere.
