| Office of Public Affairs U.S. Coast Guard Seventh District |
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| Press Release |
Date: May 3, 2004 Contact: |
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TWO MEN ON PERSONAL WATERCRAFT RESCUED SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico. - Two men on two separate Personal Water Craft were rescued off the shores of Isla de Cabras, shortly after sunset Saturday night. Both PWC became disabled, one after trying to rescue the other. The men used their emergency safety equipment to alert of their distress. Shortly after 7:00 p.m. the Coast Guard Command Center received a call through 911 services from a citizen in the Catano Beach area reporting the two men were adrift and indicated their distress by shooting red flares into the air. The command center dispatched a 27-foot rescue boat from Station San Juan to the scene. The Puerto Rico Police's Fast Unit Response Association (FURA) was also alerted and dispatched a helicopter to assist. When the Coast Guard arrived, a local fisherman was on-scene to assist. Both men and their machines were brought safely ashore and no injuries were reported. Having emergency flares onboard and in usable condition allowed these men to make their distress and location known to others. The Coast Guard requires all boaters have similar equipment onboard and the operator be firmiliar with its use. All who ride or operate PWC should wear U.S. Coast Guard approved Personal Flotation Device (PFDs) with lables indicating approval with PWC use. For more information on safe boating and free vessel examinations contact your local Coast Guard Auxiliary Floatilla using the web site: http://www.uscgaux.org/~07001/ ### The U.S. Coast Guard is a military, maritime, multi-mission service within the |
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