Unknown Coast Guard rescues drifter 75 miles offshore - Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

[DandyDon]

U.S. Coast Guard crews rescue diver on Friday

Members of a U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Savannah aircrew successfully rescued a male diver on Friday afternoon.

www.wmbfnews.com

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WMBF) - Members of a U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Savannah aircrew successfully rescued a male diver on Friday afternoon.

The male diver drifted away from his vessel while diving 75 miles offshore from Myrtle Beach, S.C.

The Coast Guard District Seven command center watchstanders in Miami, Florida received a notification from an emergency GPS beacon around 1:50 p.m. on Friday that was activated by the dive boat crewmembers around the 28-food vessel when the male did not resurface. They then launched multiple air and surface crews to assist in search efforts and develop search patterns near the diver’s last known position, based on weather conditions.

An aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Savannah located the diver and deployed a rescue swimmer to get him to the helicopter.

“It was a miracle that our rescue swimmer spotted him while we were on the last leg of our sector search,” said Lt. Jeff Davis, Coast Guard Air Station Savannah aircraft commander. “The diver’s yellow surface marker buoy helped us spot him despite the rough seas and strong winds, which limited visibility.”

There were no medical concerns that were reported.

The Coast Guard units that responded were Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City HC-130 Hercules airplane aircrew, Coast Guard Station Oak Island 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boat crew and, Coast Guard Air Station Savannah MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew.

 

[Learner Diver]

Thankfully the individual stayed calm.

 

[DandyDon]

I don't know how calm he was, especially if he could see the helicopter and search boat looking in the distance. He was thankful for this: "The diver’s yellow surface marker buoy helped us spot him despite the rough seas and strong winds, which limited visibility.” Some divers still go to sea without one.

 

[johndiver999]

That had to be pretty scary. 75 miles off the east coast aint Palm Beach or Cozumel.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

Well if that's not a testimonial as to why every diver should carry an SMB.....then I don't know what is.

I will also say....that as a retired USAF Life Support Tech....... that hands down, the SAR folks I worked with stated that the MOST effective signaling device in a wide open large search area scenario is a simple targeting signal mirror. They are so small and basically a "can't fail" option, that it is crazy for any diver to not have one as part of their kit.

 

[Chavodel8en]

I dont have a PLB, as most of my diving is local shore diving. If I was diving 75 miles offshore, you could be damn sure I would have a PLB, as well as a SMB and mirror.

 

[FishWatcher747]

Saved by an SMB. Otherwise he would be dead.

 

[Sure Squintsalot]

I wonder what they were diving on. Isn't that pretty deep water?

 

[DandyDon]

I wonder what they were diving on. Isn't that pretty deep water?

I figured that he was spearfishing.