Dramatic video from the US Coast Guard shows the heroic rescue of five people and a pet puppy who were stranded after their boat ran aground on the rocks of a barrier island in South Carolina on Sunday.
Coast Guard officials said they received a call around 2 p.m. reporting the 23-foot-long vessel was stuck on rocks in a section of Fripp Island. According to a press release:.
The agency dispatched an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Savannah, which lowered the crew and stretcher and evacuated everyone to safety inside the helicopter.
“The large number of people involved made it a fairly complicated operation, requiring multiple trips to the ship in distress,” said Maj. Karl Luksoy, the base’s aircraft commander.
“Our crew successfully managed the aircraft’s weight and power margins to execute the hoist,” Luxhoj added. “Tidal ranges in the Lowcountry region are incredible, so we encourage all mariners to check tides and currents before heading out to sea.”
The Coast Guard said a two-person airboat from Beaufort County Marine Rescue was also dispatched to the stranded vessel to assist with the rescue from land.
The rescued boaters were flown to Beaufort Executive Airport and no injuries were reported.
The stranded boat and airboat were later recovered by marine rescue teams.
