COURTESY U.S. COAST GUARD
The Coast Guard rescued three men clinging to their capsized boat off Port Allen, Kauai, on Sunday.
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The Coast Guard rescued three men hanging onto a capsized 14-foot boat off Port Allen, Kauai, early Sunday morning.
One of the men used a cellphone to call for help at about 3:30 a.m., reporting that their boat had capsized and that they were in distress, the Coast Guard said in a news release.
A helicopter was launched, and a 45-foot response boat from Coast Guard Station Kauai reached the capsized boat at 4:44 a.m. and brought the three men back to Port Allen, where they were transferred to paramedics, the Coast Guard said. One of the men was treated for mild hypothermia.
“Kudos to the three men for staying with their vessel after it capsized and of course for wearing their life jackets,” said Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Mark Zienkiewicz in a news release. “Staying with the vessel increases your chances of survival at sea because it gives a larger point of reference for rescue crews. It also prevents you from becoming too fatigued by attempting to swim.”
There are about three gallons of gasoline remaining in the boat’s 12-gallon fuel tank. A Coast Guard marine science technician from Kauai will follow up with the owner to recover the capsized vessel.