Two sailors named Colmin Roman and Zachary Wade were rescued from drowning off the coast of Georgia. This incident occurred as a result of their boat sinking, aided by an American tanker and also a blue and white bean bag they had.
Details of the Incident
On Saturday, Colmin Roman and Zachary Wade set out to sea to begin a long fishing trip. This trip was conducted on a 30-foot boat, and on Monday morning, approximately 75 miles off the coast of Brunswick, Georgia, their boat was rapidly taking on water. The boat began to sink, and the two clung to their bean bag to prevent drowning.
One of them went underwater to free the EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) from the sinking boat and send an emergency signal. This signal reached the U.S. Coast Guard's maritime center in the southeastern region around 06:50.
Rescue Operation
Following the receipt of the emergency signal, the U.S. Coast Guard initiated a search and rescue operation using several aircraft. Additionally, the rescue coordination center contacted a Jones Act tanker named “American Phoenix” and requested their assistance.
The crew of the tanker “American Phoenix” arrived at the scene and used their rescue boat to pull Roman and Wade from the water. Fortunately, neither of them sustained serious injuries. The rescue boat crew joined the “American Phoenix” from a station about four miles from the port and safely brought them to shore.
This incident clearly demonstrates the importance of cooperation between sailors and rescue agencies. Moreover, the significance of rescue equipment, even in the form of a simple bean bag, is clearly visible in emergency situations.
