8 rescued from water 14 mi off North Miami Beach
By Joseph R Fonseca
Saturday, March 31, 2018
Coast Guard and partner agencies rescued eight people Friday after their 65-foot motor vessel, Siempre Sonando, was taking on water approximately 14 miles east of North Miami Beach.
Coast Guard watchstanders received an emergency position indicating radio beacon and a distress call over VHF-FM radio channel 16 at approximately 10:17 a.m., from the motor vessel stating they were abandoning ship with eight people. The watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast to alert nearby mariners.
A Coast Guard Air Station Miami MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew, Coast Guard Stations Fort Lauderdale and Miami Beach 45-foot Response Boat—Medium boatcrews, the Coast Guard Cutter William Flores crew and a Miami-Dade Fire-Rescue Department boatcrew launched to assist.
The helicopter aircrew arrived on scene at 11:30 a.m., and located the eight people in an inflatable tender. The fire-rescue crew arrived on scene, safely embarked and transported six people to Haulover Marina.
The cutter Flores crew remains on scene to assist while the other two people remained aboard the motor vessel awaiting for a commercial salvage crew.
There were no reported injuries.