USCG assists disabled, overdue vessel east of Port Canaveral

The U.S. Coast Guard reports it assisted a disabled and overdue vessel Saturday off the coast of Port Canaveral. At approximately 6 p.m., Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville command center watchstanders were notified of an overdue 27-foot vessel with three people aboard participating in a fishing tournament offshore.

A Coast Guard Station Ponce De Leon Inlet 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew and a Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater HC-130 Hercules aircraft crew launched to search and assist.

At 8:25 p.m., the RB-M crew sighted a red flare off the bow, arrived on scene with the disabled vessel and safely towed the vessel to Station Ponce.

“The boaters used their flares appropriately allowing the boat crew to locate them instantly, completely eliminating search time and ensuring swift assistance,” said Mark Visconti, command center controller at Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville. “Just like radios and emergency position-indicating radio beacons, flares can help vector rescue crews to your position and are a vital piece of equipment to have on your vessel.”