Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Charleston received notification of the 28-foot pleasure craft taking on water with four adults aboard at 5:39 p.m. Saturday via the boater's VHF-FM marine radio.
Watchstanders immediately issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast over VHF radio, requesting for other boaters' in the area to assist.
Hearing the distress call over the radio, a Charleston Branch Pilot boat located the then capsized vessel and recovered all four boaters from the water at 6:40 p.m.
Crewmembers from Coast Guard Station Charleston transferred the boaters from the pilot boat and aboard the Coast Guard 41-foot Utility Boat at 6:44 p.m.
The boaters were transported to the shore with no medical concerns. All four boaters were reported to be wearing a life jacket.
All mariners are encouraged to invest in a VHF-FM marine-band radio as their primary means of communication on the water. VHF-FM marine-band radios are far more reliable than cells phones in the marine environment. The Coast Guard monitors VHF-FM Channel 16, the international hailing and distress channel, around the clock. In addition, all mariners in the vicinity will hear distress calls broadcast over VHF-FM Channel 16. Urgent safety information and weather reports for boaters are also broadcast over marine band radio channels.
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