NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard rescued three overdue boaters on Oct. 9 about 25 miles offshore from Empire, La., and witnessed two fending off sharks with injuries to both hands. The duo was pulled from the water by a CG Station Venice response boat crew before additional injuries occurred. The CG received a report on overdue boaters from a family member. The CG launched several air and boat crews to search an area spanning about 1,250 square miles or about the size of Rhode Island. A CG Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas-based HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew located the trio. A CG New Orleans MH-60 Jayhawk aircrew hoisted the third boater from the water. The two boaters were transferred to the Jayhawk helicopter before being transferred to University Medical Center in New Orleans, where the boaters were reported in stable condition. All three were wearing lifejackets. One of the boaters was experiencing signs of hypothermia. Their 24-foot boat sank around 10 a.m. on Oct. 8 stranding them without communication. Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Keefe, a Sector New Orleans Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator, said: "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. (Coast Guard 10/09/22) Images: DVIDS - Video - Coast Guard rescues 3 overdue boaters offshore Empire, La. (dvidshub.net)
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