Posted on 10/11/2022 6:22:31 PM PDT by nickcarraway
The U.S. Coast Guard witnessed a scene straight out of ”Jaws” on Sunday, Oct. 9, when it found the crew of a sunken fishing boat fighting off sharks in the Gulf of Mexico.
All three men were plucked from the water “just in the nick of time” and rushed to a hospital, the Coast Guard said in a news release.
Two of the three suffered shark bites to their hands, with one showing signs of hypothermia, officials said.
Identities of the men were not released.
The rescue happened 25 miles off Empire, Louisiana, as the Coast Guard was searching for a fishing boat reported missing late Saturday, Oct. 8. Empire is about 55 miles southeast of New Orleans.
It was later discovered the 24-foot center console boat had sunk around 10 a.m. Saturday, leaving the crewmen in the water for more than a day, officials said.
A Coast Guard helicopter spotted the men Sunday, and a rescue boat “arrived on scene and witnessed two of the boaters fending off sharks, along with injuries to both boater’s hands.”
“The two boaters were pulled from the water by the boat crew before additional injuries could occur,” officials said.
The third boater was “hoisted” from the water by helicopter, officials said.
A Jayhawk helicopter took the three to University Medical Center New Orleans, “where the boaters were reported in stable condition,” officials said.
“We searched an area roughly the size of Rhode Island and are thankful to have found these missing boaters,” Lt. Commander Kevin Keefe said in the release.
“If the family member had not notified the Coast Guard, and if these three boaters were not wearing life jackets, this could’ve been a completely different outcome. We appreciate the assistance of the boating public, who were instrumental in helping identify possible areas where these boaters could have been operating before the vessel became in distress.”
Investigators have not said what caused the fishing boat to sink, but the mishap left the men without any means of communicating their location, officials said.
The boat originated in Venice, Louisiana, and wasn’t reported missing until 12 hours after it sank, TODAY reported.
“They had multiple lacerations on their hand, almost down to the bone, indicative of a shark bite and serrated edges indicative of a shark’s tooth puncturing their hands,” Lt. Katy Caraway, U.S. Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans co-pilot, told TODAY.
They needed a bigger ……
I’ll never put on a life jacket again.
In before the Quint’s story about the sinking of the Indianapolis.
Dagnabbit! You beat me.
sometimes that shark he go away… but sometimes he wouldn’t go away.
YIKES!
Mark
The U.S. Coast Guard witnessed a scene straight out of ”Jaws”
More like the story of the USS Indianapolis
The boat sank because of Global Warming.
Revenge of the shark-fin soup.
Wear your life vest
Farewell and adieu, to you Spanish ladies
Farewell and adieu, to you ladies of Spain
For we received orders
For to sail for Old England
But we hope, very soon, we shall see you again
How do you show signs of hypothermia in water that warm? Granted they spent the night in the water, but even a modicum of activity should be enough to have you sweating, and in daylight even more so.
“I love to go swimming with bowlegged women and swim between legs....”
Here lies Molly McGee, died at the age of 103. For 15 years she kept her virginity, quite a record for this vicinity.
Looks like someone followed the rules - then lived to tell about it.
The thing about a shark, it’s got lifeless eyes, black eyes, like a doll’s eyes. When it comes at you it doesn’t seem to be livin’... until he bites you, and those black eyes roll over white.
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