TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. – The Coast Guard and pollution response contractors worked Thursday to remove diesel fuel from the 34-foot fishing vessel Lily Anne after it ran aground Sunday, west of John's Pass in Treasure Island.

After a Coast Guard boatcrew responded to the grounded vessel Sunday evening and determined no injuries were incurred, Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg pollution responders directed the owner of the vessel, Lucian Zaleski of Largo, Fla., to have an estimated 200 to 300 gallons of diesel fuel aboard the vessel removed in order to prevent pollution. 

After a commercial salvage company hired by Zaleski was unable to refloat the vessel Tuesday, and a commercial pollution response company's removal estimate was cited as too expensive by Zaleski, the Coast Guard stepped in to federalize the pollution removal portion of the case.

The Coast Guard has contracted the pollution response company Progressive Environmental Services to remove the fuel, and Sector St. Petersburg marine safety officers are overseeing the response.  Operations were delayed Wednesday due to inclement weather but have continued Thursday.

Pollution and marine casualty investigations are being conducted by Coast Guard St. Petersburg Prevention Department.

Editors Note: Please refer question to Public Affairs Detachment Tampa Bay at (305) 965-4672.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Coast Guard is investigating a parasailing accident that occurred in the vicinity of Pier 60 near Clearwater Beach., Sunday.

Watchstanders and Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg, Fla., received several reports at approximately 3 p.m., from third-party 911 relays, of a parasailing vessel that lost its parasail with two persons attached, causing the passengers to be injured when they landed on the beach.

Good Samaritans on the beach contacted local emergency medical personnel who arrived on scene to treat the two individuals. One individual was treated and released while the other was taken to Bay Front Medical Center in St. Petersburg, Fla.

A 25-foot small resonse boat crew from Coast Guard Station Sand Key, Fla., was launched at approximately 3:15 p.m., to intercept the parasailing vessel, which is owned by the Sky Screamer Parasailing Company, located in Clearwater.

Boast crew members from Coast Guard Station Sand Key located the vessel at Clearwater Municipal Marina.

Members from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Pinellas County Sheriff's Department and Clearwater Police Department are assisting the Coast Guard in the investigation.

Editor's Note: To view and download Coast Guard rescue footage, please click on the above image. 

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Coast Guard rescued seven people approximately 25-miles off the coast of Charleston Sunday morning.

Rescued were four adults and three children.

All seven people were aboard a 38-foot powerboat that began sinking after the engine compartment flooded. All seven boaters abandoned ship and all were wearing lifejackets. The Coast Guard was initially notified Saturday at 10 p.m. from the wife of the boat owner to report that they were overdue. 

Two Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crews from Air Station Savannah, Ga., and Air Facility Charleston searched throughout the night and one rescue swimmer, Petty Officer 2nd Class Jason Booher, in coordination with both helicopters rescued all seven people.  The rescue crews located the missing boaters at 6:02 a.m. 25-miles east of Charleston. All seven survivors were transported to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston where they were evaluated. 

"We were in the air for six hours by the time our flight mechanic spotted them in the moonlight," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Jason Booher, an aviation survival technician with Coast Guard Air Station Savannah. "The front of the boat was sticking in the air about four feet and they were clinging to a cooler. They had no lights, no signaling device, no EPIRB and no radio." 

The missing boaters were in the water for approximately 20 hours. 

"We were approaching our final search pattern before we would have to return to base," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Ben Rosen, an aviation electronics technician. "I had a lucky glimpse of what appeared to be a debris field. We turned around and determined it was in fact the missing boaters." 

This was Rosen's first ever rescue in his four year career. "It's pretty awesome to find them and bring them back safe," said Rosen. 

Also assisting with the search was a C-130 air crew from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., and the crew of the Charleston based 87-foot Coast Guard Cutter Yellowfin.

Editor's Note: Video of the rescue will be made available soon. In the meantime, all media are requested to contact Petty Officer 1st Class Christopher Evanson at (305) 213 - 9235 for more information. 

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Coast Guard rescued 7 people 30-miles off the coast of Charleston Sunday morning.

Rescued were 4 adults and 3 children.

All 7 people were aboard a 38-foot powerboat that had capsized. The Coast Guard was notified at 10 p.m. Saturday from the wife of the boat owner who indicated that the boat was overdue. 

Two Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crews from Air Station Savannah, Ga., hoisted all 7 people after locating them at 6:02 a.m. 30-miles east of Charleston. All 7 survivors are being transported to the Medical University of South Carolina where they will be evaluated. 

The capsized powerboat was located submerged in the vicinity of the rescue location. The cause of the accident is unknown at this time. 

Also assisting with the search was a C-130 air crew from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., and the crew of the Charleston based 87-foot Coast Guard Cutter Yellowfin.

CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Coast Guard has suspended the search pending the development of new information for a missing swimmer off the coast of Hunting Island Beach in Beaufort, S.C. 

Missing is Joseph Scott, 31. 

The Coast Guard assisted the Beaufort Sheriff's Department with the search.  At approximately 4:20 p.m. Saturday, five people were swimming together at Hunting Island Beach and reported that the missing swimmer did not surface after going under the water. 

A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crew from Air Station Savannah, Ga., and a 25-foot rescue boat crew from Coast Guard Station Tybee Island, Ga., were involved in the search. 

The Coast Guard reminds the boating public and beachgoers to monitor coastal and offshore weather conditions prior to swimming and boating offshore. 

The greatest safety precaution that can be taken is to recognize the danger of rip currents and always remember to swim at beaches with lifeguards. The Coast Guard recommends swimmers and surfers avoid beaches where lifeguards are not on duty.

To monitor present conditions of local beaches, please click here: http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/forecasts.shtml

CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Coast Guard and local law enforcement are searching for a missing swimmer off the coast of Hunting Island Beach in Beaufort, S.C. 

Missing is Joseph Scott, 31. 

The Coast Guard is assisting the Beaufort Sheriff's Department with the search.  At approximately 4:20 p.m. Saturday, five people were swimming together at Hunting Island Beach and reported that the missing swimmer did not surface after going under the water. 

A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crew from Air Station Savannah, Ga., and a 25-foot rescue boat crew from Coast Guard Station Tybee Island, Ga., are searching. 

KEY WEST, Fla. – Coast Guard and oil spill contractors safely removed oil from the 49-foot pleasure craft vessel LISERN II Friday that ran aground Sunday on Grecian Rocks in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

Due to inclement weather from Hurricane Earl, the oil removal and salvage process was initially delayed. After the weather improved Friday morning, the Coast Guard began removing oil from the vessel to prevent any pollution that may occur during the salvage operation.

The Coast Guard and an oil spill contractor collected over 600 gallons of oil from the vessel. There was no evidence of any oil in the water, or any breach in the hull. The oil was taken to land where it will be disposed of properly. The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is working with the boat owner to contact a salvage company to remove the vessel.

Aircraft and vessels from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Coast Guard Auxiliary continue to monitor the vessel. No discharges of oil have been observed.

KINGS BAY, Ga. - The Coast Guard and Navy will be conducting a joint exercise in Cumberland Sound, Ga., Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to test the Coast Guard's ability to deter, detect and disrupt hostile acts directed at an escorted U.S. Naval vessel.

Coast Guard and Navy vessels will transit Cumberland Sound and simulate a security breech and security zone enforcement during the exercise. Aggressive vessel tactics and blank ammunition firing from machine guns will be part of the exercise, which will help provide the most realistic means of evaluating crew capabilities, tactics, doctrine, and plans.

Boaters are reminded that a 500-yard security zone will be established around the exercise vessels. The security zone will move down Cumberland Sound as the exercise progresses towards the mouths of the St. Mary's and Amelia Rivers and back towards Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay. The Coast Guard will also issue additional security zone information in a broadcast notice to mariners on VHF marine radio channel 16 during the exercise.

The maximum penalty for violating a Coast Guard issued security zone is a $250,000 fine and up to 10 years imprisonment.

The Coast Guard and the Navy remind area boaters to be aware of their surroundings and to look out for law enforcement boats during the one-day exercise.

HILTON HEAD, S.C.  - The Coast Guard and local agencies have suspended the search for a missing 50-year-old male who fell overboard 3-miles east of Hilton Head Island Wednesday at approximately 4:55 p.m.

The Coast Guard had incorrectly identified the missing man as Lewis Fredrick. 

Missing is Willis Frazier, 50, of Hilton Head.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Charleston, S.C., received notification from a nearby boat that Frazier had fallen off the fishing vessel, Miss Pudgy, while attempting to make repairs and had not resurfaced. The reporting source indicated that he was not wearing a life jacket.  

“We have conducted an exhaustive search of the area based on the best information we have. We are suspending our active search pending the development of new information. The cause of the accident will be investigated by the Coast Guard,” said Capt. Michael F. White, Jr., commander Coast Guard Sector Charleston.

The Coast Guard along with local agencies have search over 160 square-miles roughly the size of Manhattan, N.Y.

The following assets participated in the search:

* A 41-foot rescue boat crew from Coast Guard Station Tybee Island, Ga.

* The crew of the 87-foot Coast Guard Cutter Tarpon

* An MH-65 helicopter rescue crew from Coast Guard Air Station Savannah, Ga.

* The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources

* South Carolina DNR fixed wing aircraft

* Beaufort County, S.C., Search and Rescue  

* Beaufort County Beach Patrol