Coast Guard Saves Couple and Pets from Sinking Boat in N.C.

PORTSMOUTH, VA, March 27, 2008 (The Boating Channel) - The U.S. Coast Guard reports that rescue crews from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., and Coast Guard Station Hobucken, N.C., rescued two people from a life raft after their boat sank near the mouth of the Neuse River on Wednesday.

Watch standers at Coast Guard Sector North Carolina received a mayday call at 11:42 a.m. from James and Carol Warren, the crew of the 28-foot Linger While, stating that they were taking on water, and that the pumps onboard could not keep up with the flooding, and that they were abandoning ship.

A C-130 crew from Air Station Elizabeth City was diverted from a training flight to the vessel's location, where they sighted the two boaters sitting on top of the overturned vessel's hull.
The C-130 crew remained on scene until the Station Hobucken rescue crew arrived and safely transferred the Warrens, their two dogs, and their pet bird aboard the 25-foot rescue boat.

The Warrens and their pets were taken to Station Hobucken. "I did four years in the Navy, and after today I have a lot more respect for the Coast Guard. They did a really great job. It was a very quick response - they were out there 22 minutes after we called on the radio," said James Warren.

"The Warren's actions exemplify proactive thinking in regards to safe boating practices," said Chief Petty Officer Jeremy McConnell, the officer in charge at Coast Guard Station Hobucken.
"When the crew arrived on scene, the Warrens were wearing their life jackets and maintaining a position next to the sunken vessel ensuring that they didn't drift away from the wreckage. They also utilized a VHF radio to call out their distress. Their prudence as mariners helped save their lives and the lives of their animals," said McConnell