MIAMI – The Coast Guard found and rescued two fishermen Monday in a disabled 43-foot Tiera yacht 22 miles west of West End, Bahamas.
Watchstanders with Coast Guard Sector Miami received a call Sunday evening from a concerned family member reporting the two overdue boaters from a fishing trip. The watchstanders directed the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane crew and diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Finback to search.
The aircrew spotted the disabled boat while conducting their first search pattern. The cutter Finback crew arrived on scene at 9:37 a.m. Monday to assist the fishermen. The fishing vessel became disabled after an electrical issue.
“We strongly encourage mariners to have multiple forms of communications emergency position indicating radio beacons registered and aboard their vessels,” said Senior Chief Petty Officer Luis Negron, Sector Miami command center supervisor. “An EPIRB can save rescuers critical time when searching for mariners in distress, which could be the difference between life and death.”
The cutter crew took the vessel in tow to bring them to Fort Pierce.
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