06-18-2013, 05:10 PM
ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. - Three boaters were rescued by a Coast Guard boatcrew Saturday morning after their boat capsized about two miles east of Neptune Beach, Fla., sending all three into the water.
Rescued wee: Stephen W. Preeschl, 61, of Keystone Heights, Fla.; Bobby Zinc, 46, of Jacksonville, Fla.; and Karl Zinc, 17, of Jacksonville.
The trio was on a 31-foot Yellowfin center console boat that began taking on water. They had been in contact with the commercial salvage company Sea Tow, which notified watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville of the incident at 9:56 a.m.
When Coast Guardsmen from Coast Guard Station Mayport in Atlantic Beach arrived on scene, they found the vessel capsized, two of the people wearing lifejackets on top of the overturned vessel and the third person in the water nearby without a lifejacket hanging onto a floating fender. He told responders he had put a lifejacket on, but it fell off before he was rescued.
"They did the right thing by staying with their vessel instead of attempting to swim to safety," said Petty Officer 1st Class Samuel Marodis of the Sector Jacksonville command center. "When people stay with their vessels, our boatcrews are typically able to locate them much sooner, saving valuable time that could make the difference in their ability to survive."
The Coast Guardsmen brought all three people aboard the 45-foot Response Boat - Medium and transported them to Station Mayport. There were no injuries reported and all three declined medical treatment.
Rescued wee: Stephen W. Preeschl, 61, of Keystone Heights, Fla.; Bobby Zinc, 46, of Jacksonville, Fla.; and Karl Zinc, 17, of Jacksonville.
The trio was on a 31-foot Yellowfin center console boat that began taking on water. They had been in contact with the commercial salvage company Sea Tow, which notified watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville of the incident at 9:56 a.m.
When Coast Guardsmen from Coast Guard Station Mayport in Atlantic Beach arrived on scene, they found the vessel capsized, two of the people wearing lifejackets on top of the overturned vessel and the third person in the water nearby without a lifejacket hanging onto a floating fender. He told responders he had put a lifejacket on, but it fell off before he was rescued.
"They did the right thing by staying with their vessel instead of attempting to swim to safety," said Petty Officer 1st Class Samuel Marodis of the Sector Jacksonville command center. "When people stay with their vessels, our boatcrews are typically able to locate them much sooner, saving valuable time that could make the difference in their ability to survive."
The Coast Guardsmen brought all three people aboard the 45-foot Response Boat - Medium and transported them to Station Mayport. There were no injuries reported and all three declined medical treatment.