Cape May Coast Guard Cutter Mako Assists in Maryland Search and Rescue

OCEAN CITY, MD. — Coast Guard crews located two men overdue from a fishing trip East of Ocean City Tue., Sept. 7.
Coast Guard Station Ocean City received a call from a woman reporting that her husband and a friend left for their fishing trip Mon., Sept. 6 at 2:15 p.m., and that they still had not returned. The reporting source said she was expecting him back no later than 2 p.m.
Their vehicle and trailer were reported as still being at the marina.
Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., launched a C-130 Hercules crew and Coast Guard Station Cape May, N.J., sent the crew aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Mako to assist.
The C-130 crew spotted a vessel matching the description given by the wife. The crew spotted two males aboard but was unable to make radio contact.
The crew of the Mako was diverted and confirmed that to be the vessel and crew being searched for.
The two men stated that the vessel was overheating, which is why they couldn’t make it back to port.
The Mako is towing the vessel and crew to rendezvous with a crew from Coast Guard Station Ocean City, who will relieve the tow, to bring the vessel and crew to Ocean City.
“In a situation where the wife knows where the husband goes, knowing makes it easy for us to setup our search plan,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Cullen Rafferty, a Coast Guard 5th District watchstander, in regards to giving family and/or friends a float plan. “Try to get as detailed as possible. Even if there is a slight chance that someone thinks that they’re going to deviate from their normal spots, give that information.
“In regards to VHF radios, everybody should have those. What would have been more effective, especially with offshore boaters and fishermen, is an EPIRB.”