A Father’s Day fishing trip on a personal watercraft turned into a rescue mission when the operator failed to return as expected, prompting a multi-asset Coast Guard search that ended with the boater hoisted from the water by helicopter.
Baldwin County 911 alerted Coast Guard Sector Mobile around 8:50 p.m. Sunday, reporting that a man had left Fort Morgan on a personal watercraft bound for Dauphin Island and had not been heard from in roughly three hours.
An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station New Orleans launched on the search and spotted the missing man about two miles south of Dauphin Island. The aircrew noticed a white object on the water that was not breaking — later identified as the capsized personal watercraft — and located the operator nearby.
The helicopter crew hoisted the man aboard and flew him to Jack Edwards National Airport in Gulf Shores. He was evaluated and released with no medical concerns.
“The Coast Guard recommends that everyone wear life jackets when they are using small recreational crafts,” said Cmdr. Kara Lavin, head of the Sector Mobile response department. “This case could have been significantly worse if the survivor was not wearing a life jacket. It is also critical to know that if someone’s vessel capsizes they should stay as close to the vessel as possible so they can be more easily discovered and assisted by rescuers.”
Life jacket and staying with the craft credited with survival
The boater’s decision to remain with his capsized watercraft and his use of a life jacket gave rescuers a stationary reference point and kept him afloat until help arrived. Coast Guard officials say that combination — wearing a life jacket and staying with the vessel — is the single most effective step a recreational boater can take to improve the odds of being found alive after a capsize.
Cmdr. Lavin also urged anyone heading out on the water to file a float plan with a friend or family member, so that overdue reports can be made promptly and search areas narrowed from the start.