OCEAN CITY, Md.— U.S. Coast Guard members rescued four people when their boat began taking on water 15 miles offshore of Ocean City on Monday.
Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region watchstanders received a distress alert from a Digital Selective Calling feature aboard the fishing vessel Hot Pursuit. After making contact, the captain of the vessel stated the boat was taking on water and didn’t know if the vessel could make it back to port before it sank.
“The distress alert feature on marine radios and GPS’s can be a game changer if it’s properly set up,” said Chief Michael Weelmaa, command duty officer for Sector Maryland-NCR. “In situations like this, every second matters. Follow the instructions for your device before you head out on the water to ensure we’re locked in on your location and can get to you quickly.”
A Coast Guard Station Ocean City 47-foot Motor Life Boat crew was launched to assist. When the crew arrived on scene, they embarked two of the four passengers and stabilized the vessel with dewatering pumps. The Hot Pursuit was escorted to Sunset Marina where it will undergo repairs. No medical concerns were reported.
