U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater is composed of more than 400 active duty, reserve, Auxiliary and civilian personnel, who provide critical mission support in the Southeast District.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Riley Perkofski.
CLEARWATER, Fla. — A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter aircrew conducted the rescue of a fisherman after their commercial fishing vessel caught fire approximately 100 nautical miles west of Clearwater. Sunday, December 14, 2025.
The fisherman (male) was in stable condition and did not require medical attention.
The Air Station Clearwater MH-60T Jayhawk Medium-Range Recovery Helicopter aircrew located the boater in a life raft near the burning vessel in 2 to 4-foot seas and 14 knot winds at 5:46 p.m. The rescue helicopter aircrew deployed a rescue swimmer and hoisted the survivor.
A Coast Guard Southeast District watchstanders received an emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) activation at 3:27 p.m., and coordinated the launch of the MH-60T Jayhawk MRR Helicopter aircrew.
The fisherman was in stable condition and did not require medical attention.
U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 2nd Class Kendal Hunter.
U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater.
U.S. Coast Guard Southeast.
U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Command.
“The boater was able to quickly deploy a life raft and abandon their burning vessel,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Isaiah Andrews, a search and rescue controller at Southeast District command center. “Through quick actions and the utilization of an emergency position indicating radio beacon our aircrew was able to narrow the search area for a timely rescue.”
Coast Guard Southeast District watchstanders maintain a continuous watch of the Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking system and direct coordination with partner agencies to deploy Coast Guard assets at a moment’s notice for emergent search and rescue (SAR) cases.
The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the fire.
–USCG–
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