Coast Guard, U.S. Army rescues 2 people from submerged vessel in Chesapeake Bay

The U.S. Coast Guard and the Army rescued two people from the water 6.5 miles west of Fisherman Island, Virginia, Monday night. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads initially received the report from soldiers aboard the U.S. Army vessel New Orleans, who had just pulled two people from the water after their 16-foot vessel sank after being swamped by weather four hours earlier, the USCG said in a press release.

Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads watchstanders launched a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium from Coast Guard Station Cape Charles to respond.

Once on-scene, the Coast Guard crew transferred the two survivors to the response boat and transported them back to Coast Guard Station Cape Charles.

“These people’s vessel sank so fast that they were unable to use their communication devices to call for help,” said Lt. Cdr. Trisha Jantzen, Sector Hampton Roads command center chief. “Thankfully, they were smart enough to already have their life jackets on, which is the number one way to increase your chances of survival in the water. Without the life jackets, these survivors may not have been able to stay afloat for the four hours they were in the water before they were rescued.”