Man rescued from Earl's fury: Watch helicopter pull injured man off of rocks
An injured fisherman clung to rocks while Earl’s 6-ft waves battered and delayed rescue in the US Virgin Islands
Coast Guard saves fisherman stranded on jagged rocks from Earl's wrath
Lt. Shea Smith, Coast Guard Aircraft Commander, tells FOX Weather how his air crew was able to rescue a fisherman, who was clinging to sharp rocks for two hours, from rough seas generated by then Tropical Storm Earl. The rescue mission took place off Dog Island in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
DOG ISLAND, U.S. Virgin Islands – A 50-year-old fisherman clung to sharp rocks, battered by 6-foot waves Sunday, waiting for Coast Guard rescuers to pull him to safety. Tropical Storm Earl churned up the waves catching the man by surprise.
The man got off his 26-foot fishing boat to spear fish on the rocks just off of Dog Island. The island is in the Caribbean southeast of St. Thomas.
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A man rescued off Dog Islands in the high surf created by nearby Tropical Storm Earl.
(FOX Weather)
Waves quickly overcame the fisherman who was thrown against the rocks and injured. His friend on the boat called 9-11 around 8:30 a.m.
Coast Guard rescues man clinging to rocks in Earl's waves
Watch a Coast Guard rescuer pull a fisherman out of waves churned up by Tropical Storm Earl.
A Coast Guard Boat tried to throw the man a line, but the turbulent waves prevented the craft from getting close enough. The man continued to hold on to the rocks while a helicopter readied to send a rescue swimmer down by line.
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"This was a challenging case in a tropical storm with heavy seas, gusty winds, and low visibility, but this is what the Coast Guard trains for," said Lt. Shea Smith, Coast Guard. "I’m proud of the crew, everyone came together as a team to safely and efficiently execute the mission. Fortunately, the survivor was able to hang on until we could arrive and we are all glad that he is safe."
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Rough seas and low visibility hampered rescue attempts. Take a look at the waves crashing around the injured man on the rock.
(U.S. Coast Guard)
Take a look at the rescue video above. The swimmer can’t even see the fisherman below initially. The rescuer is slowly lowered to the man. After securing the victim in a harness, both were pulled back into the helicopter.
The initial rescue boat takes a video of the helicopter rescue.
(U.S. Coast Guard)
The fisherman was treated at a St. Thomas hospital for his injuries.
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