U.S. Coast Guard officials said the USCG Cutter Tarpon has returned with two boaters who were in distress 133 miles southeast of Charleston, South Carolina. Officials say the Tarpon returned early Wednesday morning. Sea Tow met the ship to take the boaters where they needed to go.
Coast Guard officials say the mariners, a 35-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman, radioed their need for help around 7:15 p.m. Monday night. The boaters reported their 38-foot sailing vessel had become beset by weather. The boaters said they were too exhausted to continue sailing. The boaters aboard the Sea Heather reported no injuries or medical concerns.
A crew aboard an HC-130 Hercules aircraft from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina, was launched to respond at 8:54 p.m. The Hercules crew got on scene with the vessel at 10:12 p.m., to establish communications.
The crew of the commercial tug boat OSG Horizon was on scene with the distressed vessel to monitor their situation until the Tarpon crew arrived.
The OSG Horizon is a ship registered with the Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System. AMVER is a computer-based voluntary global ship reporting system used worldwide by search and rescue authorities to arrange for assistance to persons in distress at sea.
Courtesy of www.abc27.com
