CLEARWATER, Fla. - A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter crew rescued an elderly couple and their dog off their vessel while it was taking on water approximately 50-miles west of Cedar Key, Fla., Friday afternoon.

Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders were notified at 7:20 a.m. Friday by the Captain of the Splash of Lime, 59-foot pleasure craft, reporting his vessel was taking on water and he was unable to control it.

Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater launched a Jayhawk crew who arrived on scene and lowered a dewatering pump with a rescue swimmer to help expedite the dewatering process.  During the dewatering process the Jayhawk had to return to base to refuel, while refueling the Coast Guard was notified that flooding was once again uncontrollable.

Air Station Clearwater launched the helicopter again to the vessels location and safely hoisted the man, woman and dog. They were transferred to Air Station Clearwater where local emergency medical services personnel were waiting.

The Coast Guard Cutter Marlin is enroute to the vessel to determine the plausibility of dewatering and salvaging the vessel as it was the saved couples place of residence.

No injuries were reported. 

SAND KEY PARK, Fla. - Coast Guard members from Air Station Clearwater conduct survival training evolutions at Sand Key Park, Sept. 20, 2011. The training included the proper usage and handling of emergency signal flares and included a survival swim where crewmembers learned how to properly enter and exit a life raft. The Coast Guard conducts training to help familiarize crewmembers with life saving equipment, so they can better use it in an emergency situation.
U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael De Nyse.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Coast Guard rescued two men after their boat capsized 6-miles west off of Pine Island, Fla., Sept. 13, 2011. U.S. Coast Guard video

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Coast Guard rescued two fishermen after their boat capsized 6-miles west off of Pine Island, Fla., Tuesday.

Rescued were:

Frank Neilson, 52-years-old
Steve Demoor, 38-years-old

At 5:30 p.m., watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg, Fla., received a report from Hernando County 911 dispatch regarding two men who were in distress after their boat capsized while fishing.

Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg launched an 18-foot Utility Boat-Light crew from Station Yankeetown and diverted an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Clearwater.

At 6:15 p.m., the helicopter crew located the two men and were able to safely hoist them inside the cabin.

After the survivors were onboard, the helicopter experienced a small electrical fire in the communications unit. The fire was extinguished quickly by the crew and the helicopter crew was able to safely land approximately 17-miles away at the Hernando County Airport.

No injuries were reported and the survivors were able to contact family and friends to arrange pickup at the airport.

"This case demonstrates the importance of carrying the proper equipment that can be used in an emergency," said Capt. Sheryl Dickinson, Commander of Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg. "The men were able to contact the proper authorities via VHF radio, which in turn led us to their position to be rescued."

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CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Coast Guard rescued four boaters Wednesday in distress near Wassaw Sound, Ga.

Operational watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Charleston received a report from four boaters in distress after their 24-foot vessel, Second Chance, had lost power and broke free from anchor in Wassaw Sound Wednesday at approximately 6:17 p.m.

Coast Guard Air Station Savannah launched an MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crew at approximately 6:30 p.m. Wednesday and hoisted three of the boaters who were located on Wassaw Island.

Coast Guard Station Tybee Island, Ga., launched a 25-foot rescue boat crew at approximately 6:35 p.m. Wednesday and retrieved the remaining boater who had gotten stranded in a nearby marsh after attempting to swim after the drifting boat.

No injuries were reported.

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CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Coast Guard rescued an injured 64-year-old woman and her 49-year-old friend from their disabled 65-foot MacGregor sailboat approximately 198 miles West of St. Petersburg, Fla., Wednesday.

Watchstanders from Coast Guard Sector Mobile, Ala., received a call from a man at approximately 10 a.m., Central Time, stating that he had received a call from his three friends on the sailboat Sea Ya II that their vessel had lost rudder capabilities and that there was an injured person on board.

Fatma Romero, 64, had sustained a head injury onboard and was in need of medical assistance.

A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew immediately launched and safely hoisted Fatma and another man.

They were taken to Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater where they were met by local EMS.

"This rescue was very rewarding for me," said Petty Officer 3rd Class Jacob Warner, an aviation survival technician at Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater. "All those months of training and hard work paid off. They (Fatma and the other man) were very appreciative and once I pulled her into the helicopter she gave me a big hug."

This was Warner's first rescue as a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. He is from Reidsville, N.C.

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Crewmembers from the U.S. Coast Guard, Bahamian Air Sea Rescue Association (BASRA) and Royal Bahamian Defence Force (RBDF) respond to a downed Piper aircraft in the waters about 23 miles northeast of Freeport, Bahamas, Aug. 23, 2010. All six persons aboard the aircraft were located with no injuries. U.S. Coast Guard video.

MIAMI -- The U.S. Coast Guard, Bahamian Air Sea Rescue Association (BASRA) and Royal Bahamian Defence Force (RBDF) responded to a downed Piper aircraft in the waters approximately 23 miles northeast of Freeport, Bahamas, Monday.

Operation Bahamas, Turks and Caicos (OPBAT) personnel received the report of a downed aircraft at about 11 a.m. Monday from air traffic control tower personnel at Grand Bahamas International Airport. Reports to the Coast Guard indicated the aircraft was going down due to engine trouble and the passengers were requesting assistance. The pilot had passed their tail call numbers before losing communication with the tower.

A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Fla., C-130 aircrew launched and assisted in the search for the down aircraft. At approximately 12:30 p.m. RBDF smallboat crews located the downed aircraft with six persons aboard. All six survivors were transferred and it was later confirmed that all persons were accounted for with no reported injuries. 

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Coast Guard medically evacuates a 50- year-old man 25-miles east of Tybee Island, Ga., Wednesday July 28, 2010. The Coast Guard received a distress call at approximately 11 a.m. for a scuba diver in distress. U.S. Coast Guard video courtesy of Air Station Savannah.

SAVANNAH, Ga.  - The Coast Guard medically evacuated a scuba diver at approximately 11 a.m., Wednesday 20-miles east of Tybee Island, Ga.

The Coast Guard was notified by a crewmember aboard the 30-foot marine vessel, Martha W., that a 50 year-old male was in need of medical attention after returning from a dive. A Coast Guard MH-65 helicopter rescue crew from Air Station Savannah arrived on scene at 11:30 a.m. and medically evacuated the diver.

He was transported to Savannah Memorial Hospital for further evaluation.

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Rebecca Sullivan is helped off the 87-foot Coast Guard Cutter Yellowfin May 18, 2010, at Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville. Sullivan, Elias Nevarez and John J. Nevarez were rescued after their boat capsized May 16 and they treaded water for about 36 hours, 30-miles offshore. U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael Hulme.