Coast Guard Rescues Boaters

The Coast Guard and a Good Samaritan tanker vessel worked together to rescue two men who became lost at sea while towing a sailing vessel to Ocean Springs, Miss., Thursday.

The crew of the tanker vessel, Frost II, spotted a red flare at approximately 9:00 p.m., Thursday, and reported it to the Coast Guard. The flare sighting corresponded with the search and rescue case involving two men who had become turned around in the dark while towing a 43-foot sailing vessel and had accidentally headed out to the open Gulf.

The crew of the Frost II located the two men approximately 8 miles south of Horn Island, stood by and guided rescue efforts to the area. The Coast Guard Cutter Cobia was the first Coast Guard unit on scene and safely transported the men to Coast Guard Station Pascagoula, Miss.

Coast Guard Sector Mobile received the intial call at approximtely 8 a.m., Thursday, from the wife of one of the two lost men, stating that her husband and his friend had become turned around in the dark while towing the sailing vessel. The men's 17-foot bass boat sank, causing them to regroup on the disabled sailing vessel they were towing.

Coast Guard units involved in the search included 41-foot rescue boats and crews from Stations Dauphin Island and Pascagoula, the Coast Guard Cutter Cobia, homeported in Mobile, HC-144 Ocean Sentry search planes and crews from Aviation Training Center Mobile, and MH-65C Dolphin rescue helicopters and crews from Air Station New Orleans.