Archive image: U.S. Coast Guardsmen assigned to Coast Guard Air Station Savannah, Georgia, guide an MH-65 dolphin helicopter in to the hangar, Feb. 21, 2022.
Air Station Savannah’s area of responsibility cover approximately 450 nautical miles of shoreline from the northern border of South Carolina to Melbourne, Florida.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Barry Bena
CHARLESTON, South Carolina — A Coast Guard Air Station Savannah MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew rescue two fishermen after their 30-foot fishing vessel capsized 34 nautical miles offshore of Charleston. Tuesday, December 19, 2023.
Coast Guard Sector Charleston command center watchstanders received a mayday call at 10:30 p.m., via VHF-FM channel 16 from a crew member aboard the fishing vessel stating their vessel was sinking.
Watchstanders directed the launch of a Coast Guard Station Charleston boatcrew and an Air Station Savannah MH-65 Dolphin Short-Range Recovery Helicopter aircrew to assist.
Utilizing direction finding technology to triangulate the last known position, watchstanders were able to identify the vessel’s approximate location. Once on scene at the vessel’s last known position, the rescue helicopter crew immediately located a life raft with two people aboard.
The MH-65 Dolphin SRR helicopter aircrew hoisted the two men and safely transported them to the Medical University of South Carolina Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital for further medical care.
«Having a marine grade radio was a major factor in this rescue and having the proper lifesaving equipment onboard furthermore assisted in saving the mariner’s lives,» said Lt. j.g. Colin Morgan, Coast Guard Sector Charleston command duty officer. «We want to remind all mariners to check the weather and perform a safety equipment check before going out on the water.»
The rescue helicopter crew safely transported the two men to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston for further medical care.
U.S. Coast Guard graphic by Sector Charleston.
«This case and its favorable outcome is a testament of the diligence and training of our Sector Charleston watchstanders and Air Station Savannah aircrews,» said Lt. Michael Allen, Coast Guard Sector Charleston search and rescue mission coordinator. «The mariners were able to provide us with a chance to find them by using their marine grade radio and we utilized our search and rescue technology to pinpoint their last known location that was provided to our aircrew.»
On-scene weather conditions were reported to be 17-knot winds with 5 to 6-foot seas.
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The rescue helicopter aircrew safely transported the two men to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston for further medical care.
U.S. Coast Guard video.
U.S. Coast Guard Sector Charleston.
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U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area.
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