ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Coast Guard rescued two persons in the water in the vicinity of Pinellas Point, Fla., Saturday.

At 1:42 p.m., watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg receieved a 'mayday' call via Ch. 16 from a 24-year-old male and a 25-year-old male stating that their 16-foot Hobie Cat recreational craft had capsized and that they were in need of immediate assistance. 

At 1:55 p.m., Station St. Petersburg launched a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boat crew to the scene.

Once on scene at 2:07 p.m., the crew was able to safely recover both persons from the water. 

Crewmembers from Eckerd SAR responded, were able to re-right the Hobie Cat and took it in tow.

Due to the shallow water depth, the two survivors were transferred to the Eckerd SAR vessel and taken back to shore. 

The two men were able to contact the Coast Guard due to the fact that they had brought hand-held radios on their trip.

No injuries were reported. 

In an effort to reduce the number of incidents on the water and to increase the safety of people on the water, the Coast Guard recommends the following:

• Protect yourself against hypothermia and invest in a dry suit or other Coast Guard-approved full-body floatation survival gear. Although Gulf Coast water temperatures are still relatively warm during the end of summer, the threat of hypothermia is still great. The human body reacts to 50 to 60-degree water the same way as it does in 70 to 80-degree water with prolonged exposure. As soon as a person's core body temperature drops below 95 degrees, hypothermia sets in and occurs 25 times faster in cold water than in cold air. A person in the water not wearing a life jacket can lose body heat from efforts to remain afloat. Once the shivering stops, the body is no longer able to heat itself, and the person can lose consciousness and drown.
• Be sure to check the local weather prior to departing the dock. Weather can change very rapidly and boaters should keep a watchful eye on the forecasted conditions.
• The Coast Guard urges mariners to outfit their boat with a functioning marine-band radio, as cell phones are typically an unreliable source of communication due to gaps in coverage and limited battery life. Using channel 16 on a marine-band radio is the most reliable way to communicate a distress to search and rescue personnel in the event of an emergency while on the water.
• Emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs) provide boaters an excellent enhancement with regard to safety during an offshore voyage. In the event of an emergency, the beacon can transmit the boat's position and other identifying information that will aid in expediting the rescue.

MIAMI- Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Six Detachment, Mayport, Fla., determined the cylindrical mine located by a Good Samaritan Thursday afternoon to be a training device and is no threat to surrounding areas.

Coast Guard crews from Station Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Coast Guard Cutter Dolphin enforced a safety zone, Thursday while crewmen from Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Six Detachment, Mayport investigated the cylindrical mine.

The mine will be removed and towed to Coast Guard Station Fort Lauderdale this evening.

For more information please contact Navy EOD personnel at 904-219-8114.

 
MIAMI - A Good Samaritan located a mine in the water 1 mile east of Dania Beach, Fla., Thursday. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

MIAMI- Coast Guard crews from Station Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Coast Guard Cutter Dolphin are enforcing a safety zone, Thursday after a Good Samaritan located a mine in the water 1 mile east of Dania Beach, Fla.

Crewmembers from Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Six Detachment, Mayport, Fla., are en route to retrieve the ordnance.

A temporary safety zone will be established around the site near Dania Beach as Navy EOD Mobile Unit Six detachment Mayport personnel positively identify and determine proper disposition for the ordnance.

Vessels will be required to maintain a minimum 1,000 yard distance from the site while Navy EOD Unit Nine personnel conduct operations. Boaters are requested to make alternate transit arrangements during that time period.

For more information please contact Navy EOD personnel at 904-219-8114.

Click images for video

MIAMI — The Coast Guard Cutter Bernard C. Webber, the first Fast Response Cutter, arrives at its homeport of Miami Feb. 9, 2012. The cutter's commanding officer, Lt. Cmdr. Herb Eggert, and Coast Guard Sector Miami's commander, Capt. Chris Scraba, offer remarks about the significance of the Webber's arrival. U.S. Coast Guard multimedia presentation by Petty Officer 3rd Class Sabrina Elgammal.

MIAMI — The Coast Guard Cutter Bernard C. Webber, the first Fast Response Cutter, arrives at its homeport of Miami Feb. 9, 2012. The 154-foot Webber will be able to deploy independently to conduct missions such as ports, waterways, and coastal security, fishery patrols, drug and illegal migrant law enforcement, search and rescue, and national defense operations along the Gulf of Mexico and throughout the Caribbean. U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 1st Class Jennifer Johnson.

Click images for high-resolution photos

 MIAMI — The Coast Guard's first Sentinel Class patrol boat, Bernard C. Webber, arrives at Coast Guard Sector Miami Feb. 9, 2012. The 154-foot Fast Response Cutter is capable of speeds of 28-plus knots, armed with one stabilized, remotely operated 25mm chain gun and four crew-served .50 caliber machine guns, and crew capabilities to hold 24 people. It will be able to perform independently for a minimum of five days at sea, and be underway for 2,500 hours annually. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Jennifer Johnson.

MIAMI — The Coast Guard Cutter Nantucket keeps pace with Miami's newest cutter, the Bernard C. Webber, during its arrival at Coast Guard Sector Miami Feb. 9, 2012. The Webber is named after Coast Guard hero Bernard C. Webber, who is credited for his assistance during the rescue of 33 of the tanker vessel Pendleton's 34 crewmembers. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Jennifer Johnson.

MIAMI — The Coast Guard Cutter Webber, the Coast Guard's first Sentinel Class patrol boat, arrives at Coast Guard Sector Miami Feb. 9, 2012. The 154-foot Webber is a Fast Response Cutter capable of independently deploying to conduct missions such as ports, waterways, and coastal security, fishery patrols, drug and illegal migrant law enforcement, search and rescue, and national defense along the Gulf of Mexico and throughout the Caribbean. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Jennifer Johnson.

MIAMI — The Coast Guard Cutter Webber, the Coast Guard's first Sentinel Class patrol boat, arrives at Coast Guard Sector Miami Feb. 9, 2012. The 154-foot Webber is a Fast Response Cutter capable of independently deploying to conduct missions such as ports, waterways, and coastal security, fishery patrols, drug and illegal migrant law enforcement, search and rescue, and national defense along the Gulf of Mexico and throughout the Caribbean. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Sabrina Elgammal.

MIAMI — The Coast Guard Cutter Webber, the Coast Guard's first Sentinel Class patrol boat, arrives at Coast Guard Sector Miami Feb. 9, 2012. The 154-foot Webber is a Fast Response Cutter capable of independently deploying to conduct missions such as ports, waterways, and coastal security, fishery patrols, drug and illegal migrant law enforcement, search and rescue, and national defense along the Gulf of Mexico and throughout the Caribbean. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Sabrina Elgammal.

MIAMI — The Coast Guard Cutter Webber, the Coast Guard's first Sentinel Class patrol boat, arrives at Coast Guard Sector Miami Feb. 9, 2012. The 154-foot Webber is a Fast Response Cutter capable of independently deploying to conduct missions such as ports, waterways, and coastal security, fishery patrols, drug and illegal migrant law enforcement, search and rescue, and national defense along the Gulf of Mexico and throughout the Caribbean. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Sabrina Elgammal.

MIAMI — The Coast Guard Cutter Webber, the Coast Guard’s first Sentinel Class patrol boat, arrived at Coast Guard Sector Miami Thursday.

The 154-foot Webber is a Fast Response Cutter and will be able to deploy independently to conduct missions such as ports, waterways, and coastal security, fishery patrols, drug and illegal migrant law enforcement, search and rescue, and national defense operations along the Gulf of Mexico and throughout the Caribbean.

“I am very excited about the arrival of the Coast Guard Cutter Webber," said Rear Adm. Bill Baumgartner, commander of the 7th Coast Guard District. "It is the first of 18 Fast Response Cutters that are scheduled to be delivered to the 7th Coast Guard District over the next several years. This new cutter fleet will be a vital instrument in supporting illicit migrant and narcotic trafficking interdiction, but will only fill a portion of the critical gap we face in our operational capability. While the Fast Response Cutters are highly capable platforms, the Coast Guard is in need of an Offshore Patrol Cutter as well. These OPCs would be able to deploy greater distances, effectively extending our maritime border outward to prevent threats to our national security. The OPC would replace our aging Medium Endurance Cutter fleet, most of which are over 40 years old and in desperate need of recapitalization to meet the future security needs of America.”

The Webber is capable of speeds of 28-plus knots, armed with one stabilized, remotely operated 25mm chain gun and four crew-served .50 caliber machine guns, and crew capabilities to hold 24 people. It will be able to perform independently for a minimum of five days at sea, and be underway for 2,500 hours per year.

The new Sentinel Class patrol boats will all be named after Coast Guard heroes. The Webber is named after Coast Guard hero Bernard C. Webber. Webber is credited with helping make one of the greatest rescues in Coast Guard history. 

“This month will mark the 60th anniversary of the loss of the tanker Pendleton off the coast of Cape Cod on Feb. 18, 1952,” said Baumgartner. “Bernard C. Webber’s heroic actions that night saved 33 of Pendleton’s 34 crewmembers. Today’s event is an opportunity for us to reflect and honor the bravery of the Webber’s namesake, who truly was the embodiment of what it means to be a Coast Guardsman.”

To learn more about the Coast Guard Cutter Webber, please visit: http://goo.gl/vyxG5.

Editor's note:  The media is invited to the arrival of Coast Guard Cutter Bernard C. Webber at Coast Guard Base Support Unit Miami located at 100 MacArthur Causeway, Miami Beach, Fla., Thursday. Media are asked to arrive no later than 10:30 a.m. Media interested in attending the event are requested to contact Public Affairs at 305-415-6683.

WHO:          Rear Adm. Bill Baumgartner, commander, 7th Coast Guard District
                  Lt. Cmdr. Herbert Eggert, commanding, Coast Guard Cutter Bernard C. Webber

                  
WHAT:         The Coast Guard cutter Bernard C. Webber, the Coast Guard’s first Sentinel Class patrol boat, will be delivered to Coast Guard Sector Miami at Base Support Unit Miami, Miami Beach, Fla., Thursday.

                   The 154-foot Webber, is the first Fast Response Cutter in its class. The Webber will be able to deploy independently to conduct missions, such as ports, waterways and coastal security, fishery patrols, drug and illegal migrant law enforcement, search and rescue, and national-defense operations along the Gulf of Mexico and throughout the Caribbean.

WHEN:        Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.

WHERE:      Coast Guard Base Support Unit Miami 
              100 MacArthur Causeway Miami Beach, Fla.
                      

SAVANNAH, Ga - The Coast Guard is investigating the grounding of an 859-foot container ship on the Savannah River, Wednesday.

Savannah Pilots reported the UASC Khor Fakkan, an 859-foot container ship, had run aground near Elba Island during inbound transit up the Savannah River at approximately 4 a.m., Wednesday.

Coast Guard Sector Charleston established a safety zone with a rescue boat crew from Coast Guard Station Tybee Island, Ga., until the vessel was refloated at approximately 6:40 a.m.

Three tug boats were dispatched to the scene and recovered the UASC Khor Fakkan. The motor vessel was escorted under its own power to the Garden City Terminal.

There are no reports of damage or pollution.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Coast Guard pollution investigators responded Tuesday to a report of an oil discharge at the active construction site between Piers 6 and 7 in San Juan Harbor, Puerto Rico.

Coast Guard Pollution investigators are actively monitoring cleanup and recovery efforts and investigating to find the origin and amount of the discharge.

Construction site personnel are conducting efforts to locate the unidentified underground point of discharge to shut down the source and prevent further oil from spilling into the water, and they have activated two Oil Spill Response Organizations (OSRO) to conduct cleanup and recovery operations.

OSRO contractors have deployed oil containment boom into the water across Piers 6 and 7 and have also placed containment boom in the immediate area of the discharge to avoid further spread of the material. They are also utilizing oil recovery equipment such as absorbent boom, absorbent pads and vacuum truck oil collectors to recover spilled material from the water.

Coast Guard Sector San Juan command center watchstanders were initially contacted by a National Response Center representative at approximately 3p.m. Tuesday, who reported that an unknown amount and type of oil was discharging from and unknown source at the construction site into San Juan Harbor.

Coast Guard Sector San Juan watchstanders and pollution response personnel proceeded to contact federal, state and municipal emergency response authorities, to include the Environmental Protection Agency, the Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board, the Puerto Rico Ports Authority, and San Juan Municipal Office of Emergency Management among others to advise them of the situation.

MIAMI - Capt. Richard Kenin, 7th Coast Guard District chief of staff, pins the Silver Lifesaving Medal on Petty Officer 3rd Class Jonathan Rivera, an Aviation Electronics Technician, during a ceremony at Coast Guard Air Station Miami Feb. 7, 2012. Rivera received the award for his the rescue of R&B artist Sean Kingston after he struck a bridge on his personal watercraft. Rivera immediately jumped in and kept him afloat until additional help arrived on May 29, 2011. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Sabrina Elgammal.

MIAMI - Capt. Richard Kenin, 7th Coast Guard District chief of staff, and Capt. Joe Kimball, commanding officer of Air Station Miami, present the Silver Livesaving Medal to Petty Officer 3rd Class Jonathan Rivera, an Aviation Electronics Technician, during a ceremony at Coast Guard Air Station Miami Feb. 7, 2012. Rivera received the award for his the rescue of R&B artist Sean Kingston after he struck a bridge on his personal watercraft. Rivera immediately jumped in and kept him afloat until additional help arrived on May 29, 2011. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Sabrina Elgammal.

MIAMI – Carmen Rivera stands next to her husband Petty Officer 3rd Class Jonathan Rivera while he receives the Silver Lifesaving Medal during a ceremony at Coast Guard Air Station Miami Feb. 7, 2012. Rivera received the award for his the rescue of R&B artist Sean Kingston after he struck a bridge on his personal watercraft. Rivera immediately jumped in and kept him afloat until additional help arrived on May 29, 2011. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Sabrina Elgammal.

Editor's note:  The media is invited to the presentation of the Silver Lifesaving Medal Award Ceremony at Coast Guard Air Station Miami in Opa Locka, Fla., Tuesday. Media are asked to arrive at Air Station Miami 14750 NW 44th Ct., Albatros training room Opa Locka, Fla., no later than 9:30 a.m.

WHO:        Capt. Richard Kenin, 7th Coast Guard District chief of staff
                   Capt. Joe Kimball, commanding officer of Air Station Miami
                   Cmdr. Andres Delgado, executive officer of Air Station Miami
                   Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class John Rivera

WHAT:         Seventh Coast Guard District chief of staff, Capt. Richard Kenin, is scheduled to present the Silver Lifesaving Medal award to Petty Officer 3rd Class John Rivera for the rescue of R&B artist Sean Kingston after his accident on a personal water craft on Memorial Day weekend. Rivera was off duty and on his personal boat near the bridge and saw Kingston go under water after he struck a bridge on his personal watercraft. Rivera immediately jumped in and kept him afloat until additional help arrived.  

                   The Silver Lifesaving Medal is awarded by the Commandant of the Coast Guard to any person who rescues, or endeavors to rescue, any other person from drowning, shipwreck, or other peril of water. The rescue or attempted rescue must either take place in waters within the United States or subject to its jurisdiction, or one of the parties must be a citizen of the United States or be from a vessel or aircraft owned or operated by citizens of the United States. 

WHEN:     Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012 at 10:00 a.m.

WHERE:  Coast Guard Air Station Miami Albatros training room
              14750 NW 44th Ct., Opa Locka, Fla.  
                      

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Coast Guard rescue crews completed a request for assistance Sunday afternoon to search for possible survivors from a capsized migrant boat in Samana Bay, Dominican Republic, after Dominican Republic authorities notified no longer requiring Coast Guard assistance with rescue efforts.

The boat (yola) capsized Saturday morning in the vicinity of Samana Bay off the northeastern coast of the Dominican Republic, reportedly carrying more than 40 passengers onboard.

According to reports from Dominican Republic authorities, 18 people are confirmed dead, there are at least 11 survivors and an undetermined number of people missing.

“Our most heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of the men and women who lost their lives to the perils of the sea,” said Capt. Drew Pearson, U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Juan commander. “Migrants are risking their lives when they trust ruthless smugglers to make the dangerous voyage across the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico in makeshift-grossly overloaded boats, without any consideration to weather conditions or the safety and lives of their passengers.”

Coast Guard Sector San Juan Joint Rescue Sub Center watchstanders initially received notification of the incident at approximately 3p.m. Saturday from the Coast Guard Liaison Officer stationed in the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, who also relayed the initial request for assistance from Dominican Republic navy authorities to assist with the efforts to find and rescue survivors.

Coast Guard rescue crews involved in the search efforts consisted of a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Borinquen, a HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft from Air Station Miami on deployment to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and the Coast Guard Cutter Sapelo and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Operations Bahamas, Turks and Caicos.  

The Coast Guard Cutter Sapelo is a 110-foot patrol boat home ported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Coast Guard rescue crews are searching Saturday for possible Dominican survivors, after their boat (yola) reportedly capsized in Samana Bay waters off the northeastern coast of the Dominican Republic.

Coast Guard Sector San Juan Joint Rescue Sub Center watchstanders received notification of the incident at approximately 3p.m. Saturday from the Coast Guard Liaison Officer stationed in the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, who also relayed a request for assistance from Dominican Republic navy authorities to assist with the efforts to find and rescue survivors.

Sector San Juan controllers launched a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Borinquen, a HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft from Air Station Miami on deployment to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and they diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Sapelo to the scene.  Coast Guard rescue aircrews are currently on scene searching.

The Coast Guard Cutter Sapelo is a 110-foot patrol boat home ported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Editor's note:  The media is invited to the presentation of the Purple Heart to the family of a World War I Coast Guardsman in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Monday. Media are asked to arrive at Terminal 4, Port Canaveral no later than 1:45 p.m. The commanding officer of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Tampa and a family member of the honoree will be available for interviews immediately following the ceremony. Please contact Marilyn Fajardo at (305) 331-1444 to RSVP.

WHO:       Capt. Richard Kenin, 7th Coast Guard District chief of staff
                   Cmdr. Susan Polizzotto, commanding officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Tampa
                   Robert Medina, representing U.S. Congressman Bill Posey (FL-15)
                   Diane Roberts Vess (great-grandniece) will receive the Purple Heart on behalf of Charles Henry   
                   Klingelhoefer

WHAT:     Seventh Coast Guard District chief of staff, Capt. Richard Kenin, is scheduled to present the prestigious
                   Purple Heart, posthumously, to the family of Charles Henry Klingelhoefer, a crewman aboard the
                   USSTampa when it was hit and sunk by the German U-boat 91, Sept. 26, 1918.  One hundred and
                   thirty one lives were lost with the cutter; 115 officers and men, plus a Captain, 10 seamen of the Royal
                   British Navy, and five civilian employee dock workers. This was reportedly the largest loss due to 
                   enemy action suffered by U.S. Naval Forces in World War I.

                   The Purple Heart is a U.S. military decoration awarded in the name of the president to those who have
                   been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military.

WHEN:     Monday, Feb. 6, 2012 at 2:00 p.m.

WHERE:  Terminal 4, Port Canaveral  
                   240 Christopher Columbus Drive
                   Cape Canaveral, Fla., 32920

MORE:    The ceremony will take place aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Tampa.
       
                 

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew from Air Station Clearwater, conducts a search-and-rescue demonstration at the 2012 Sector St. Petersburg open house, Feb. 3, 2012. The SAR demonstration provided an opportunity for the community of St. Petersburg, Fla., to view a Coast Guard operation up close. 
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael De Nyse.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.- Children attending the 2012 Sector St. Petersburg's open house wave at a Coast Guard 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boatcrew from Station St. Petersburg, Feb. 3, 2012.The open house provided the community of St. Petersburg, Fla., the opportunity to view helicopter and vessel demonstrations, take vessel tours and gain safe boating knowledge.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael De Nyse.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Community members gather pier side in preparation for a search and rescue demonstration at the 2012 Sector St. Petersburg's open house, Feb. 3, 2012.The open house provided the community of St. Petersburg, Fla., the opportunity to view helicopter and vessel demonstrations, take vessel tours and gain safe boating knowledge.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael De Nyse.

CLEARWATER, Fla. — A crewman aboard the fishing vessel Julio Pedro was medevaced by the Coast Guard after it was reported he was suffering seizures approximately 67 miles west of Tarpon Springs, Fla., Thursday.

Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders were notified by the captain of the Julio Pedro stating his crewman, 37, was suffering intermittent seizures and vomiting. After consulting the Coast Guard duty flight surgeon, a medevac was deemed necessary.

Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater launched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew who arrived on scene and lowered a swimmer to assess the situation. Due to the amount of gear on board the Julio Pedro, a water hoist was determined to be the safest way to get the man to safety.

The rescue swimmer helped the man put on his survival suit, placed him in the water and assisted with his safe hoist into the helicopter.

The injured crewmember was taken to Tampa General Hospital. 

The Coast Guard pilot involved in the rescue will be available for on camera interviews between 7 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. Friday. Any interested media please contact Lt. Cmdr. Bill Friday at 727-539-9140.