Thursday, March 7, 2013

Coast Guard Rescues 1, Searches For 2 From Fishing Vessel Off Eastern Shore


PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Coast Guard is responding to a distressed fishing vessel approximately 15 miles east of Assateague Island, Md., Wednesday.

One man located on a life raft has been rescued by an aircrew aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C, and two other men are reported missing.

Coast Guard Fifth District watchstanders initially received an emergency position indicating radio beacon alert from the 67-foot fishing vessel Seafarer at 10:39 a.m.
The watchstanders contacted the vessel's owner, who believed that the Seafarer had become disabled and the vessel's sister ship started towing the Seafarer.  It was reported that the the ship lost the tow and sight of the Seafarer when weather conditions worsened.

Air Station Elizabeth City launched the Jayhawk crew to the Seafarers reported position.  Arriving on scene, the air crew recovered one man from a life raft and took him to Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, Md.

A 47-foot Motor Life Boat crew from Station Chincoteague has also been deployed to search the area.

On scene weather is reported to 30-40 mph winds and 8-12-foot seas.


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