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7th Coast Guard District

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Photo Release

Date: February 1, 2012

Contact: Petty Officer 3rd Class Jon-Paul Rios

(305) 965-4672

**Photos Available** Two Englewood men rescued off capsized vessel near Stump Pass

ENGLEWOOD, Fla. — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Diamondback, an 87-foot Marine Protector Class Coastal Patrol Boat homeported in Miami Beach, rescues two Englewood, Fla. residents 13-miles off Stump Pass, Jan. 31, 2012. As the Diamondback was en route to dry-dock, watchstanders aboard the cutter spotted the fishermen waving a red cloth in distress about 1800-yards away. The Diamondback crew arrived on scene, plucked the fishermen from their vessel, and transferred them to safety. U.S. Coast Guard photo for release. ENGLEWOOD, Fla. — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Diamondback, an 87-foot Marine Protector Class Coastal Patrol Boat homeported in Miami Beach, rescues two Englewood, Fla. residents 13-miles off Stump Pass, Jan. 31, 2012. As the Diamondback was en route to dry-dock, watchstanders aboard the cutter spotted the fishermen waving a red cloth in distress about 1800-yards away. The Diamondback crew arrived on scene, plucked the fishermen from their vessel, and transferred them to safety. U.S. Coast Guard photo for release.As the Diamondback was en route to dry-dock, watchstanders aboard the cutter spotted the fishermen waving a red in distress about 1800 yards away. The Diamondback crew arrived on scene, plucked the fishermen from their vessel, and transferred them to safety. U.S. Coast Guard photo for release. ENGLEWOOD, Fla. — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Diamondback, an 87-foot Marine Protector Class Coastal Patrol Boat homeported in Miami Beach, rescues two Englewood, Fla. residents 13-miles off Stump Pass, Jan. 31, 2012. As the Diamondback was en route to dry-dock, watchstanders aboard the cutter spotted the fishermen waving a red cloth in distress about 1800-yards away. The Diamondback crew arrived on scene, plucked the fishermen from their vessel, and transferred them to safety. U.S. Coast Guard photo for release.As the Diamondback was en route to dry-dock, watchstanders aboard the cutter spotted the fishermen waving a red in distress about 1800 yards away. The Diamondback crew arrived on scene, plucked the fishermen from their vessel, and transferred them to safety. U.S. Coast Guard photo for release. ENGLEWOOD, Fla. — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Diamondback, an 87-foot Marine Protector Class Coastal Patrol Boat homeported in Miami Beach, rescues two Englewood, Fla. residents 13-miles off Stump Pass, Jan. 31, 2012. As the Diamondback was en route to dry-dock, watchstanders aboard the cutter spotted the fishermen waving a red cloth in distress about 1800-yards away. The Diamondback crew arrived on scene, plucked the fishermen from their vessel, and transferred them to safety. U.S. Coast Guard photo for release. ENGLEWOOD, Fla. — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Diamondback, an 87-foot Marine Protector Class Coastal Patrol Boat homeported in Miami Beach, rescues two Englewood, Fla. residents 13-miles off Stump Pass, Jan. 31, 2012. As the Diamondback was en route to dry-dock, watchstanders aboard the cutter spotted the fishermen waving a red cloth in distress about 1800-yards away. The Diamondback crew arrived on scene, plucked the fishermen from their vessel, and transferred them to safety. U.S. Coast Guard photo for release.As the Diamondback was en route to dry-dock, watchstanders aboard the cutter spotted the fishermen waving a red in distress about 1800 yards away. The Diamondback crew arrived on scene, plucked the fishermen from their vessel, and transferred them to safety. U.S. Coast Guard photo for release.

ENGLEWOOD, Fla. — Two Englewood residents are safe after being rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard approximately 13 miles west of Stump Pass, Fla., Tuesday.

The two men were spotted sitting on the hull of their submerged vessel frantically waiving their arms 1800 yards away by watchstanders aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Diamondback, homeported in Miami, while it was in transit to drydock.

The cutter Diamondback launched their smallboat crew who took the men off the submerged vessel and brought them aboard the cutter.

"Luck on behalf of the survivors along with vigilant watchstanding by the cutter Diamondbacks crew ultimately saved their lives as their vessel capsized prior to them making any callouts for help and they didn't have any kind of signaling equipment on board," said Senior Chief Petty Officer Robert Wood, command duty officer at Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg's command center. "Having an electronic position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) on board all vessels is highly recommended to expedite the rescue process in distress cases unforseen." 

The two men were transferred to Coast Guard Station Cortez. No injuries were reported.

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