7th Coast Guard District
U.S. Coast Guard
News Release
*Video Available* Coast Guard rescues 7 people 25-miles east of Charleston, S.C.
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Editor's Note: To view and download Coast Guard rescue footage, please click on the above image.
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Coast Guard rescued seven people approximately 25-miles off the coast of Charleston Sunday morning.
Rescued were four adults and three children.
All seven people were aboard a 38-foot powerboat that began sinking after the engine compartment flooded. All seven boaters abandoned ship and all were wearing lifejackets. The Coast Guard was initially notified Saturday at 10 p.m. from the wife of the boat owner to report that they were overdue.
Two Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crews from Air Station Savannah, Ga., and Air Facility Charleston searched throughout the night and one rescue swimmer, Petty Officer 2nd Class Jason Booher, in coordination with both helicopters rescued all seven people. The rescue crews located the missing boaters at 6:02 a.m. 25-miles east of Charleston. All seven survivors were transported to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston where they were evaluated.
"We were in the air for six hours by the time our flight mechanic spotted them in the moonlight," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Jason Booher, an aviation survival technician with Coast Guard Air Station Savannah. "The front of the boat was sticking in the air about four feet and they were clinging to a cooler. They had no lights, no signaling device, no EPIRB and no radio."
The missing boaters were in the water for approximately 20 hours.
"We were approaching our final search pattern before we would have to return to base," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Ben Rosen, an aviation electronics technician. "I had a lucky glimpse of what appeared to be a debris field. We turned around and determined it was in fact the missing boaters."
This was Rosen's first ever rescue in his four year career. "It's pretty awesome to find them and bring them back safe," said Rosen.
Also assisting with the search was a C-130 air crew from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., and the crew of the Charleston based 87-foot Coast Guard Cutter Yellowfin.
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