CHARLESTON, S.C. — Four people were rescued by the Coast Guard following an extensive search after they did not return from a fishing trip off the South Carolina Coast, Sunday.
Brian Judy, age 39, Kenny Winningham, age 40, and two 11-year-old boys are reported to be in stable condition.
The four were rescued after an HC-130 Hercules airplane crew spotted their boat 23-foot capsized boat earlier, approximately 12 miles off the Charleston, South Carolina coast.
The survivors were resuced by a Coast Guard Station Charleson 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew and were transported back to the station.
Watchstanders in the Coast Guard Sector Charleston command center were notified Sunday night that the boaters had sent a text message detailing their intended destination for a fishing trip, however the boaters had not been heard from nor did they return by 5 p.m. Sunday as expected.
Mount Pleasant Police officers found the owner’s vehicle, and boat trailer at Remley's Pint Public Boat Landing in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.
The owner of the vessel reportedly sent a text message detailing the intended destination for the offshore fishing trip. The four boaters were on a 23-foot white Mako called the Shock-A-Con.
Crewmembers aboard an HC-130 Hercules airplane from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., were launched to search, Monday morning.
At approximately 6:30 a.m., the boat was found overturned by the HC-130 crew, approximately 12 miles east of Charleston. Crews from Station Charleston were dispatched to right the boat and tow it back to shore.
A crew aboard an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Coast Guard Air Facility Charleston was launched to search, Sunday night. Watchstanders also issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast to notify boaters in the area of the situation.
Also assisting are crews from the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office also assisted in the search.
For more information contact the Coast Guard 7th District Public Affairs Detachment Jacksonville at 305-318-1864.