U.S. Air Force photo by Tommie Horton.
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Coast Guard and partner agencies rescued five people and assisted in the search for three men, Saturday, after two boats collided with a total of nine people aboard in the Wilmington River just north of Thunderbolt Marina.
Missing are a 37-year-old white male and two early 20-year-old white males, last seen wearing board shorts and no shirts.
A good Samaritan notified Coast Guard Sector Charleston at 10:42 a.m., via VHF-FM channel 16, stating two recreational boats collided and people were in the water. It was reported one vessel had three people aboard and the second vessel had six people aboard. It was also reported four people were taken to the hospital by emergency medical services (EMS), and one person is in good condition.
A Coast Guard Air Station Savannah MH-65 Dolphin Short-Range Recovery Helicopter (SRR) aircrew hoisted one of the nine people from the water and was safely transferred to Memorial Health University Medical Center.
Two boats collided and three men were missing in the river.
U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 3rd Class Vincent Moreno.
U.S. Coast Guard Southeast.
Department of Homeland Security.
Coast Guard Station Tybee Island boat crew have established a safety zone while Chatham County and Savannah Fire Department are conducting rescue and dive operations.
Coast Guard and partner agencies involved were:
- Air Station Savannah MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew
- Station Tybee Island 29-foot Response Boat-Small boat crew
- Chatham County Sheriffs Office Marine
- Savannah Fire Department
Contact Coast Guard Sector Charleston command center at 843-740-7050 with any information.
The collision is under investigation by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
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