The Coast Guard rescued a man Saturday after fishing boat was reported missing Friday evening near Emerald Isle.
The Coast Guard Sector North Carolina Command Center in Wilmington received notification at about 7:45 p.m. Friday that the fishing boat with two people aboard were expected to arrive at Bogue Inlet by 5:30 p.m., but had not returned from their voyage.
The Station Emerald Isle crew located a capsized vessel matching the description of the missing boat just outside of Bogue Inlet.
One of the missing boaters was wearing a life jacket and was able to swim to shore. An Emerald Isle Fire Dept. crew located the man who was displaying signs of hypothermia, and placed him in the care of EMS.
According to a news release from the Coast Guard, a person walking the shoreline near Bogue Inlet at about 4:40 a.m., heard cries for help. The Coast Guard responded and found the missing man clinging to the hard-top canopy from the overturned boat inside Bogue Inlet.
The man was taken to shore brought to the nearby hospital to be treated with hypothermia.
“The fact that these boaters told someone they were going out and planned to be back at a certain time is what saved this man’s life today,” said Chief Petty Officer Ryan Alexander, command duty officer for Sector North Carolina. “Wearing a life jacket exponentially increases the chances of survival in situations like this.”
