3 Boaters Clinging to Capsized Hull in Great Bay, NJ, Waters Rescued

LITTLE EGG HARBOR — Three boaters are recovering at home after an airlift rescue off the coast of Ocean County this weekend.

The boaters were in the Great Bay less than a mile away from the Great Bay Marina in Little Egg Harbor on Saturday afternoon when they encountered bad weather, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

They used a radio to ask for help getting back to shore from the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay base in Philadelphia.

But the situation quickly changed and the 18-foot vessel began to sink. The boat's operator sent another more urgent radio transmission for assistance.

The USCG sent an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew to rescue the boaters. Fortunately, the helicopter was already nearby for training and was rerouted to the bay.

A private salvage team from TowBoatUS also picked up on the distress signal and went to help.

They saw that the boat had capsized and the boaters were clinging to the hull. However, the salvage team couldn't conduct a rescue because of the weather conditions. Instead, they began communicating with the USCG to relay information.

After the helicopter arrived, a rescue swimmer coordinated with the helicopter crew to conduct the rescue. The boaters were lifted to safety.

The boaters were flown to Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City and turned over to first responders for potential medical treatment.

"With the help of an exceptional crew, we were able to efficiently and effectively execute the Coast Guard's mission of safeguarding lives at sea," said Lt. Christopher Sullivan, the pilot in command. "Thank you to my aircrew - Petty Officer Hugo Alonso, Petty Officer Peyton Murray, and Lt. Jack Walsh for an excellent performance. We are all thankful that the three survivors are safe at home today."

There were no injuries reported in the incident. Video of the rescue is below.