Portsmouth, Va. — The Coast Guard rescued two people Sunday who were reported missing after their 21-foot fishing boat sank approximately a mile west of Kiptopeke State Park.
Rescued were 64-year-old Bonatacio Montalvo of Machipongo, Virginia, and 27-year-old Jose Rosales.
Eduardo Montalvo swam to shore and called 911 dispatchers, who relayed the distress call to Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads at approximately 3:25 a.m. Montalvo reported two people aboard the boat he was on were missing after sinking at approximately 9:30 p.m. Saturday.
Coast Guard watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and dispatched crews aboard a 25-foot Response Boat – Small from Coast Guard Station Cape Charles and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina. A Virginia Marine Resources Commission boat crew also responded to assist.
The Jayhawk crew located Bonatacio Montalvo, who also swam to shore, at approximately 4 a.m., hoisted him into the helicopter and took him to Sentara Norfolk General hospital.
The Jayhawk crew returned to the search area where they located Rosales approximately two miles west of Kiptopeke State Park at approximately 7 a.m., hoisted him into the helicopter and took him Sentara Norfolk General hospital.
All survivors were reported to be suffering from hypothermia, but no life-threatening injuries were reported.
“The fact that these men were wearing life jackets greatly increased their chances of survival,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Thomas Barbay, an operations unit controller at the Coast Guard’s 5th District Command Center.
