6 on fishing trip rescued by Coast Guard
MOBILE, Alabama - On a fishing trip from Carabelle, Fla., 6 people were rescued early Saturday morning by the U.S. Coast Guard, according to a news release.
The 43-foot Dirty Pool launched Friday night at about 7:30 p.m. for a fishing trip. At about 4:30 a.m. Saturday, the vessel reported it was taking on water. The Coast Guard sent a MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter to save the group, which used marine signal flares to be found.
"All six people were wearing lifejackets," according the Coast Guard news release. Though emergency medical personnel were waiting at Apalachicola Bay Municipal Airport in Franklin County, Fla., all of the people rescued were able to walk off the rescue helicopter unassisted.
“The rescued crewmembers demonstrated exceptional preparedness, greatly expediting our recovery efforts,” said Chief Petty Officer Brenda Doris, a search and rescue coordinator at Sector Mobile in the release. “This serves as a reminder to all mariners that preparedness and proper safety gear are critical.”