Sector Key West News

U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West has issued a Captain of the Port order on a commercial fishing vessel involved in an allision with an anchored recreational vessel 2 miles northwest of the Seven Mile Bridge in Marathon, Fla.Based on witness statements collected by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission and Coast Guard boarding teams, the operator of the commercial vessel left the helm unattended for five to six minutes to check an engine alarm while allowing the vessel to proceed at approximately 22 knots.Immediately prior to the accident…

The U.S. Coast Guard said it has suspended the search for 10 Cuban migrants believed missing from a boat that capsized off Key West, Florida.Two people were killed and 10 were believed missing in the incident, the U.S. Coast Guard had reported on Thursday.Coast Guard, Navy, Air Force, Customs and Border Protection, and Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission air and surface asset personnel conducted multiple search patterns for more than 123 hours, covering about 8,864 square miles…

The U.S. Coast Guard medevaced the captain from the tugboat, Capt. Beau, after he reportedly sustained a fall near Long Key, Fla., Wednesday.Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders launched a Coast Guard Station Marathon 33-foot Special Purpose Craft—Law Enforcement boat crew who embarked the captain and transferred him to local emergency medical services at Conch Key Marina. The 52-year-old patient was taken to Fisherman's Hospital.Watchstanders received a medevac request from the Capt. Beau crew stating the captain of the vessel fell and sustained an injury.

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Charles David Jr. (WPC-1107) crew medevaced a 31-year-old Filipino man from the 820-foot motor tanker, Philotimos, approximately 155 miles southwest of Key West, Fla., Thursday.Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders received a medevac request from the Philotimos crew stating a 31-year-old crewmember was suffering from a possible appendicitis.The Coast Guard crew arrived to the scene, embarked the Philotimos crew member, transferred him to a Coast…

The Coast Guard rescued two overdue boaters near Big Coppitt Key, Tuesday.Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders received notification of two teenagers on an overdue 16-foot skiff who were supposed to return to shore before sunset. The boat had no navigation lights or radio onboard. Watchstanders diverted a Coast Guard Air Station Miami MH-65 helicopter crew to respond.The helicopter crew arrived on scene, located the two waving, hoisted them and took them to Key West International Airport with no reported injuries.

The Coast Guard rescued two people from a sinking vessel Thursday approximately 3 miles east of Key Largo.Rescued were Eric Kample, 40, and Robert Pflugh, 56.At approximately 4 a.m., Coast Guard Sector Key West received a distress call from the crew of the 36-foot sailing vessel, No Worries, via VHF-FM radio channel 16 stating they were taking on water and on the verge of capsizing. Watchstanders launched a Coast Guard Air Station Miami MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew and Coast…

The Coast Guard medevaced a 42-year-old man from a fishing vessel approximately 43 miles northwest of Key West.Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Key West received a call via VHF-FM channel 16 at approximately 1:20 a.m., from the 67-foot fishing vessel, Fortuna stating a crewmember was reportedly experiencing chest pains and difficulty breathing.A Coast Guard Station Key West 33-foot Special Purpose Craft—Law Enforcement boatcrew arrived on scene, safely embarked the 42-year-old man and transferred him ashore to awaiting emergency medical services…

The U.S. Coast Guard and a good Samaritan rescued six people from the water near Conch Reef, Fla., Saturday.  A good Samaritan aboard the 25-foot center console, Quality Time, notified Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders at approximately 1:46 p.m. of a capsized 22-foot white center console with six people in the water.  Watchstanders directed the launch of a Coast Guard Station Islamorada 33-foot Special Purpose Craft—Law Enforcement crew who arrived on scene and embarked two children due to the fact that they may have ingested salt water, while the good Samaritan embarked four adults. They were transferred to emergency medical services in Tavernier Creek. Towboat Islamorada towed the vessel to Harry Harris Boat Ramp.

The U.S. Coast Guard said it has medevaced a 40-year-old man suffering seizure-like symptoms from the motor tanker Oreon Voyager Tuesday approximately 26 miles south of Key West, Fla. Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders received a medevac request from the U.S. flagged tanker at approximately 1:25 p.m. Coast Guard 7th District Watchstanders launched an Air Station Miami MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew who arrived on scene at approximately 3 p.m. The man was transferred to local emergency medical services at approximately 3:30 pm. He has since been transferred to Lower Keys Medical Center.

The U.S. Coast Guard said it has medevaced a 23-year-old man with vision complications from the tug Tiny Pyne Sunday approximately 9 miles south of Key West, Fla. Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders received a report of the injury at approximately 1:50 p.m. Sunday. Watchstanders launched a Station Key West 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew and embarked the patient at approximately 2:50 p.m. The man was transferred to local emergency medical services at approximately 3:20 p.m.

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued two people from the water Sunday after their vessel broke free of its mooring and grounded on Knights Key Shoal near Marathon, Fla. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Key West received a notification of three people in the water at approximately 2:20 p.m., and diverted a Coast Guard Sation Marathon 33-foot Special Purpose Craft-Law Enforcement boatcrew to the scene. The boatcrew removed two people from the water at approximately 3 p.m., after the third person had successfully swam back to shore. The owner of the vessel made arrangements with commercial salvage for removal.

The U.S. Coast Guard said it medevaced a 56-year-old man from his sailing vessel, the Anthem, approximately 12 miles east of Key West, Fla., last Tuesday.   Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders received a report at approximately 1 a.m from a 56-year-old man sailing from St. Petersburg to Key West suffering from shortness of breath and exhaustion.   The nearby Coast Guard Cutter Raymond Evans crew launched their smallboat crew who transported the patient to awaiting emergency medical services at Station Key West. He was then transferred to Lower Keys Medical Center.

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Confidence repatriated 12 Cuban migrants to Bahia de Cabañas, Cuba, Saturday. While on routine patrol a Coast Guard aircraft spotted a vessel with migrants aboard south of Marquesas Keys, Florida, Wednesday. The aircraft notified Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders who quickly diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Venturous to the scene. Upon arriving on scene, the Venturous crew embarked 14 Cuban migrants including 10 men and four women. Twelve Cuban migrants were later transferred to the Coast Guard Cutter Confidence for repatriation. Two migrants were medevaced with medical concerns to Key West, Florida.

The Crowley-managed, Philadelphia Express – a 3,237 TEU containership – recently provided assistance to nine Cubans on a makeshift raft adrift near Key West, Fla. As the vessel was steaming from Houston, Texas to Savannah, Ga., crewmembers spotted the floating object with people aboard waving in distress. Captain D.A. Sulin, master, Philadelphia Express, began circling back to the position of the raft and notified U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West of the situation. Upon order from USCG…

The Crowley-managed, Philadelphia Express – a 3,237 TEU container ship ­– recently provided assistance to nine Cubans on a makeshift raft adrift near Key West, Fla. As the vessel was steaming from Houston, Texas to Savannah, Ga., crewmembers spotted the floating object with people aboard waving in distress. Captain D.A. Sulin, master, Philadelphia Express, began circling back to the position of the raft and notified U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West of the situation. Upon order from USCG, the vessel passed close to the raft to better determine the nature of the distress and was then asked to stay on scene in order to prevent other large vessel traffic getting to close to the raft and to boost the morale of the raft’s occupants until the USCG response vessel could arrive.

Coast Guard Cmdr. Craig J. Wieschhorster took command of the medium-endurance Cutter Mohawk during a ceremony Thursday at Coast Guard Sector Key West. Coast Guard Atlantic Area chief of staff, Capt. Doug Fears presided over the change of command ceremony as Wieschhorster relieved Cmdr. Adam B. Morrison of the duties and responsibilities as 14th commanding officer of the Cutter Mohawk. “Although I leave the Cutter Mohawk with a heavy heart,” said Morrison, “I have trust in Cmdr. Morrison was awarded a Meritorious Service Medal recognizing his service and performance of duty. During Morrison’s successful two-year command, Cutter Mohawk’s crew achieved a number of operational successes.

According to a report by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), a man was medically evacuated late Tuesday evening after suffering a head injury aboard a 797-foot cargo ship 103 miles west of Key West, Fla. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Key West command center received a report at approximately 7 p.m. from a crewmember aboard the OBO carrier SKS Tana concerning a 28-year-old male requiring urgent medical care. A boatcrew from Coast Guard Station Key West and a MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Fla., responded to the report.

Bollinger Shipyards, Inc. has delivered the Charles David Jr., the seventh Fast Response Cutter (FRC) to the United States Coast Guard. The announcement was made by Bollinger executive vice president of new construction, Chris Bollinger, “We are very pleased to announce another successful on-time and on-budget FRC delivery to the Coast Guard. The Charles David Jr. was delivered to the 7th Coast Guard District in Key West, Fla. and will be stationed at USCG Sector Key West. The 154-foot patrol craft Charles David Jr. is the seventh vessel in the Coast Guard's Sentinel-class FRC program.

The U.S. Coast Guard formally accepted and introduced its new Response Boat-Medium and Rescue 21 advanced communications system during a ceremony held Monday at Coast Guard Sector Key West, here. The Response Boat - Medium is a new small-boat platform that offers increased speed and maneuverability over the service's aging 41-foot response boats, which it will eventually replace.·Enhanced maritime capabilities and technological advances such as water-jet propulsion, armrest integrated steering and trim controls, self-righting capability and improved crew accommodations all represent significant upgrades over the legacy 41-foot response boat platform.·· The first two Response Boats - Medium were delivered to Coast Guard Stations Little Creek…

Bollinger Shipyards, Inc. has delivered the Charles Sexton, the eighth Fast Response Cutter (FRC) to the United States Coast Guard. The announcement was made by Bollinger President, Chris Bollinger, “We are very pleased to announce another successful on-time and on-budget FRC delivery to the U.S. Coast Guard. The Charles Sexton was delivered to the 7th Coast Guard District in Key West, Fla., and will be stationed at USCG Sector Key West. The 154-foot patrol craft Charles Sexton is the eighth vessel in the Coast Guard's Sentinel-class FRC program.

Coast Guard Cutter Charles Sexton was commissioned into service March 8 at Coast Guard Sector Key West, Fla. The Sexton is the second of six Fast Response Cutters to be homeported in Key West, and the eighth vessel to be delivered through the Coast Guard’s Sentinel-class FRC recapitalization project. The cutter is named after Machinery Technician 1st Class Charles W. Sexton, who drowned during a rescue operation conducted off the coast of Washington. On Jan. 11, 1991, Sexton was aboard a motor lifeboat dispatched to assist the 75-foot fishing vessel Sea King…

Coast Guard search-and-rescue crews are searching for a missing diver five nautical miles south of Key West, Florida, Saturday afternoon. Missing is Jim Bakazan, 50, wearing a black wet suit. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Key West received the report from the motor vessel Dream after Bakazan went missing while diving on the wreck of the USS Vandenburg. Sector Key West issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast and launched a Coast Guard Station Key West response boatcrew and an Air Station Miami HC-144 aircraft to search. A Monroe County Sheriff's Office dive team and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is assisting with the search.

The Coast Guard Cutter William Trump was commissioned during a ceremony at Coast Guard Sector Key West Saturday Jan. 24, 2015. The Trump is the 11th fast response cutter in the Coast Guard fleet. Rear Adm. Jake Korn served as the presiding official at the Cutter William Trump commissioning ceremony. Each fast response cutter is named for an enlisted Coast Guard hero who distinguished him or herself in the line of duty. This vessel is named after U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class William Trump who earned a silver star for valor in action during the assault phase of the landing at Normandy during WWII. Trump served aboard Landing…