Coast Guard Has A VERY Busy Weekend

A U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Savannah aircrew rescued a 35-year-old male diver, Friday, after he drifted away from his vessel while diving 75 miles offshore Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Coast Guard District Seven command center watchstanders in Miami, Florida received a notification from an emergency GPS beacon around 1:50 p.m., activated by the dive boat crewmembers aboard the 28-foot vessel when he didn’t resurface.

Coast Guard District Seven command center watchstanders launched multiple air and surface crews to assist in the search efforts and developed search patterns near the diver’s last known position, based on the prevailing weather conditions. An aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Savannah located the diver and deployed a rescue swimmer to hoist him into the helicopter. The aircrew safely transferred the diver to Cape Fear Regional Jetport, where EMS awaited.

“It was a miracle that our rescue swimmer spotted him while we were on the last leg of our sector search,” said Lt. Jeff Davis, Coast Guard Air Station Savannah aircraft commander. “The diver's yellow surface marker buoy helped us spot him despite the rough seas and strong winds, which limited visibility."

No medical concerns were reported.

On-scene weather consisted of eight to nine-foot seas, with winds coming from the north at 15 knots.

Coast Guard units that responded:

• Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City HC-130 Hercules airplane aircrew
• Coast Guard Station Oak Island 45-foot Response Boat–Medium boat crew
• Coast Guard Air Station Savannah MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew
• Coast Guard Cutter Legare crew

FMI: www.uscg.mil