Source: CNN
On Sunday, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued three people in the Gulf of Mexico after their fishing trip went awry. The three boaters from Harvey, Louisiana, had gone out in search of red snapper.
Just 25 miles offshore, the boat the anglers were fishing from started to take on water, and while they tried to turn back to shore, the ocean was too choppy. Their boat sank and they were left floating in the water for at least 28 hours.
As they floated in winds that were blowing 25 to 30 mph, sharks attacked the men.
Luan Nguyen, one of the boaters, had to fight off a shark with his fists.
“The head part was in front of me and the shark from just out of nowhere bit the vest. So, I pushed the shark and then I tried to push his nose. That didn’t do anything. So, I stuck up both of my thumbs and jabbed him in the eyes, and it took off.”
When the fishermen had not returned from their trip a day later, a family member reported them as missing.
All three boaters were rescued by the USCG, which had been searching for the group by land and air. The Coasties had a breakthrough in the search after one of the missing men was able to get cell phone service; he sent a message of their location on Google Maps.
Two of the boaters sustained hand injuries and all showed signs of hypothermia. They were brought to University Medical Center in New Orleans, where they were all in stable condition at the time of this writing.
In a press release, Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Keefe of New Orleans Search and Rescue said, “If the family member had not notified the Coast Guard, and if these three boaters were not wearing life jackets, this could’ve been a completely different outcome.”
To learn more about this rescue, click here. — Lidia Goldberg
Source: CNN
