A USCG Dolphin Crew Arrived On Scene And Hoisted The Boaters

The Coast Guard rescued three boaters from a disabled recreational boat caught in rough seas off of Fire Island, New York, Thursday. Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound watchstanders received a notification at approximately 12 p.m. Thursday from Sea Tow of Great South Bay of a disabled 23-foot recreational boat with three people on board off of Fire Island, New York.

A Coast Guard Station Fire Island 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boatcrew and a Suffolk County Police Department Marine Bureau crew launched to assist.

Once on-scene, the Station Fire Island boatcrew, as well as a two-person land team, evaluated the scene and determined that neither a water nor land-based rescue was feasible due to hazardous weather and surf conditions.

A Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew was then launched to assist.

The Dolphin crew arrived on scene and hoisted the boaters, who were wearing lifejackets, onboard and brought them to safety at Station Fire Island.

The vessel remained at anchor and will be retrieved as soon as the weather allows.

Sector Long Island Sound will continue to monitor the situation until the vessel is safely recovered.

"What started out in the early morning as a beautiful day for fishing offshore, very quickly deteriorated into hazardous weather conditions." said Cmdr. Valerie Boyd, Response Chief at Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound. "The seamless coordination by the command center, outstanding judgement and risk management demonstrated by the Station Fire Island crew, coupled with the fast response and expert technical ability of the MH-65 crew, prevented a dangerous situation from worsening and likely saved the lives of the persons on board the distressed vessel."

Involved in the rescue were:

• Coast Guard Station Fire Island 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boatcrew
• Air Station Atlantic City MH-65 Dolphin aircrew
• Suffolk County PD Marine Bureau
• CG Auxiliary Aircraft

FMI: www.uscg.mil