CAPE SAN BLAS -- The Coast Guard announced the rescue of four people from a sinking fishing vessel approximately 30 miles off the coast of Cape San Blas Friday.
The operator of the vessel CBS called his wife from a satellite phone and told her the boat was taking on water. She contacted the Coast Guard, which issued an urgent marine information broadcast and sent a 45-foot rescue boat from Panama City and a plane from Mobile, Ala., according to a news release.
Two “good Samaritan” boats in the area headed toward the sinking ship, but a plane from Tyndall Air Force Base was the first to the scene, followed shortly by the Coast Guard plane. The four people had donned life preservers and taken refuge in a lifeboat. The Coast Guard ship arrived approximately 15 minutes later, collected the four people and returned them to Panama City.
The name of those involved were not released.