WACHAPREAGUE, Va. (AP) — The Coast Guard rescued four people on a boat taking on water and sinking about 32 miles off Virginia’s Eastern Shore.
After receiving a report via VHF-FM radio on Thursday, the Coast Guard dispatched boats and a helicopter from stations at Wachapreague, Chincoteague and Elizabeth City, North Carolina. A crew transferred a pump to the sinking boat and took the vessel under tow. Six hours later, the vessel was moored in Wachapreague, where it was later trailered. No injuries were reported.
It’s important to have a working VHF-FM radio and make sure everyone on board is wearing life jackets, Chief Warrant Officer Daniel Butierries, the search and rescue mission coordinator at Coast Guard Sector Virginia, said in a news release.
“Situations can change very quickly while you’re out on the water, which is why it’s so important to have the requisite safety equipment in case of an emergency,” Butierries said.
