Coast Guard, Good Samaritan rescue 6 from sinking boat

LYNNHAVEN INLET, Va. - A Good Samaritan and the crew of a Coast Guard cutter rescued six people from a sinking boat one and a half miles northeast of Lynnhaven Inlet at 12:15 p.m. Sunday.

The crew of the Canyon Express relayed the 28-foot Carolina Classic boat, Fishbones, initial distress to the Coast Guard at about 8:30 a.m. as they were taking on water about 30 miles east of Elizabeth City, N.C. They were only able to control flooding by accelerating up on plane.  The crew of the fishing boat Going Deep escorted them to Lynnhaven Inlet where they slowed down and sank.  The crew of Going Deep and the Coast Guard Cutter Sea Horse, an 87-foot patrol boat, each rescued three people from the water.

A Station Little Creek 45-foot response boat crew transferred all six people to shore where they were checked and cleared by EMS.

"We heard about them on the radio this morning and had been following the case all day," said Master Chief Petty Officer William James, captain of the Sea Horse. "When we heard they were going to Lynnhaven Inlet, we decided to patrol in that area in case anything went bad - and it did. Just after they passed us we heard their distress call and we turned around and picked them up."