USCG rescues mariner off Chincoteague coast amid boat blaze

CHINCOTEAGUE. Va. – A 58-year-old mariner is back home after being rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) on Thursday evening. The mariner was found about 60 miles off the coast of Chincoteague.

USCG officials say they received an emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) round 8:30 p.m. for the 45-foot Trilogy sailboat. An airplane and helicopter crew were deployed from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City.

Crews arrived on scene between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m., spotting a dingy with a person aboard. Nearby, USCG members observed the Trilogy in flames. The mariner was hoisted up to the USCG helicopter. He was flown to Norfolk Sentara for a medical evaluation. However, no major injuries were reported.

USCG officials say the mariner’s careful planning for his voyage is what helped save his life.

“[In addition to having an EPIRB on board the vessel,] This mariner also had filed a float plan with a family member, which the Coast Guard always recommends you do even for short day trips. He also had an emersion suit, which he had put on prior to getting in the dingy. All these actions and planning for a maritime emergency helped save his life,” USCG officials said in a new release.