WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, N.C. – A man was rescued 20 minutes after making a mayday call at 1:30 p.m. and reporting an explosion on board his 60-foot fishing vessel 20 nautical miles from Masonboro Inlet Sunday.
The captain of the Beau Vin expended all fire fighting capabilities and abandoned ship into his life raft with a 406 MHz Emergency Position Indication Radio Beacon (EPIRB).
Coast Guard Stations Wrightsville Beach and Oak Island launched rescue boat crews to the location received from the EPIRB. Coast Guard watchstanders also issued an urgent marine information broadcast to inform other mariners of his distress.
The captain of the Sea Swirl responded to the broadcast and came along side the life raft and picked up Beau Vin’s captain.
The Station Oak Island crew arrived on scene and recovered the captain from the Sea Swirl. The captain was taken to Station Wrightsville Beach and met with EMS for minor burns on his hands, however he did not require any further medical assistance.
Coast Guard watchstanders are transmitting a Safety Marine Information Broadcast to notify other mariners of the abandon ship.