| Office of Public Affairs U.S. Coast Guard Seventh District |
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| Press Release |
Date: Contact: |
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COAST GUARD SEARCHES FOR MISSING FISHERMEN ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A C-130 airplane from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Fla., is searching for two missing fishermen from the 31-foot longliner Rogue that reported themselves adrift 20 miles offshore after their anchor line broke this afternoon. The fishermen were anchored off Anclote Key, Fla., in 8 to 12-foot seas and 43-knot winds caused by Tropical Storm Jeanne when they claimed they were close to capsizing and asked the Coast Guard for assistance this afternoon. A Coast Guard HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Clearwater and the C-130 were seeking safe haven from the storm in Key West, Fla., and New Orleans respectively when they responded to the call. The fishermen reported that they donned their lifejackets and activated their Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) as they were waiting for the arrival of the helicopter. When the helicopter arrived on scene with the fishing vessel seven miles west of Anclote Key around 6:30 p.m., the two occupants were not onboard. The helicopter proceeded to search for the fishermen but recently had to head back to their safe haven due to bad weather conditions. The C-130 is continuing to search while weather conditions allow. This case illustrates the importance of planning accordingly before a major storm. During such storms, Coast Guard response is often delayed and should not be anticipated by boaters who remain underway prior to the arrival of hazardous conditions. Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the two fishermen from the Rogue are asked to contact the Coast Guard at 727-824-7506. ### The U.S. Coast Guard is a military, maritime, multi-mission service within the |
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