JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Four fishermen are safe Monday morning after a U.S. Coast Guard crew from Station Mayport, Fla., rescued them following a fire on their commercial fishing vessel.
It happened near Nassau Sound off Big Talbot Island State Park in Jacksonville.
A witness notified the Coast Guard about 4 a.m., that the 79-foot Ingrid Louis was ablaze roughly three miles east of Nassau Sound.
Coast Guard operational watchstanders from Sector Jacksonville established communication with the crew of the fishing vessel and instructed them to activate their Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon, which would provide responders with a precise location. The fishermen abandoned ship into the vessel’s life raft to wait for rescuers.
A crew from Station Mayport arrived on scene, brought all four fishermen aboard and transported them to Station Mayport, where emergency medical technicians were waiting.
The captain of the vessel was treated for smoke inhalation. The three crewmen declined medical treatment.
A Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department boat was on scene with the Ingrid Louis and fighting the fire.
Also assisting with the response were Nassau County Sheriffs and Coast Guard Air Station Savannah, Ga.
The cause of the fire is unknown.
