A Coast Guard aircrew from Air Station Savannah work to rescue a mother
and daughter off the coast go St. Simons Island, Ga., July 31, 2015.
Both the mother and daughter involved in the rescue were wearing
lifejackets, giving Coast Guard crews valuable time to location and
rescue them. U.S. Coast Guard photo.
A
young woman sits on the hull of a capsized vessel as her mother is
hoisted into a Coast Guard helicopter off the coast of St. Simons
Island, Ga., July 31, 2015. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)
August 1st, 2015
The Coast Guard rescued a mother and daughter off the coast of St. Simons Island after their vessel capsized, Friday.
At approximately 4 p.m., Friday, watchstanders at Coast Guard Station Brunswick received a call from a woman and her daughter, reporting that their 16-foot boat had become grounded approximately 1 nautical mile off the coast of St. Simons Island.
Station Brunswick quickly diverted a boatcrew aboard a 29-foot Response Boat – Small to assist. When the response boat arrived on scene, the shallow water only allowed them to get within 250 yards of the boat. Coast Guard Sector Charleston contacted the women and was told that the vessel had started taking on water over the side.
“You could tell in their voices they were scared,” said Lt. Jeff Prebeck, command duty officer for Sector Charleston. “They had started to take on water, but they had their lifejackets on. That bought us some time.”
Shortly thereafter, the 16-foot boat capsized, sending both women into the water. The MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Savannah that was diverted to the scene safely hoisted both women and transported them to St. Simons Island Airport.
No medical attention was requested.
“Fortunately, we were able to rescue this mother and daughter, and I think a big part of that is due to them getting their lifejackets on early,” said Lt. Kyle Richter, one of the pilots on the rescue. “The lifejackets not only played a big part in keeping them above water, but their bright orange color enabled us to locate them from inside the helicopter while we were still several miles away.”