CHECKING TAXIWAY — U.S. Air Force Maj. Grant "Doctor" Bucks, 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron pilot, checks the taxiway for inbound traffic before a combat air support mission over Iraq at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar on 26 August 03. The 494th deployed here from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England in July in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt Lee A Osberry Jr.
JACKSONVILLE, Fl. -- The crew of an Air Station Savannah HH-65 Dolphin helicopter rescued a Savannah fisherman about 8:50 p.m. tonight after he fell overboard from the 85-foot fishing vessel Drag On about 55 miles south of Savannah, Ga. in Ossabaw Sound.
Capt. Chuck Clayton, 48, of Savannah was working on deck of the fishing vessel Drag On tonight when he fell overboard. It is unknown why or how Mr. Clayton fell off the vessel.
The crewman on board the Drag On, who was working below decks came up and discovered Mr. Clayton was missing. The crewmember notified the Coast Guard about 8:30 p.m. and then stopped the fishing vessel that had been traveling at 10 knots. The Air Station Savannah helicopter, which was already airborne on a training mission, was diverted to the area, located Mr. Clayton eight miles away from the Drag On and safely hoisted him about 8:50 p.m. tonight.
Mr. Clayton was reported to be in good condition despite being tired from swimming. He was transferred to a Coast Guard Station Tybee Island rescue boat for further transferred back to the fishing vessel Drag On about 9 p.m. tonight
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The U.S. Coast Guard is a military, maritime, multi-mission service within the Department of Homeland Security dedicated to protecting the safety and security of America.