Coast Guard rescues 6 from pair of disabled fishing boats off Louisiana
The Georgia P. became disabled Friday evening about 70 miles from Venice, Louisiana, according to Coast Guard officials. The nearby boat Seahorse came over to help tow the boat back to shore, only to become disabled itself.
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NEW ORLEANS – Six fishermen were rescued off two separate boats by the U.S. Coast Guard after their vessels became disabled in the Gulf of Mexico several miles off the Louisiana coast as bad weather approached.
The Georgia P. became disabled Friday evening about 70 miles from Venice, Louisiana, according to Coast Guard officials. The nearby boat Seahorse came over to help tow the boat back to shore, only to become disabled itself.
An aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans hoisted six people from disabled vessels approximately 70 miles east of Venice, Louisiana December 23, 2023.
(U.S. Coast Guard / FOX Weather)
The captain of the Seahorse called the Coast Guard for help, noting the weather was getting worse, communication was poor in the area, and he didn’t have enough medication to ride out the night.
The Coast Guard sent a rescue helicopter from New Orleans, which later hoisted all six crewmembers from both boats and brought them back to safety on shore in Alabama where they were checked by medics.
Both boat owners will now need to coordinate salvage plans to retrieve their vessels.