NORFOLK, Va. — Four divers who had gone missing off the coast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Sunday afternoon were rescued in North Carolina early Monday morning.
Crews from the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy rescued the divers 46 miles southeast of the Cape Fear River, according to a press release from the U.S. Coast Guard.
The divers ranged in ages between 16 years old and 64 years old.
The Coast Guard said it was notified that four men diving from the pleasure craft, Big Bill's, did not resurface on Sunday afternoon. That was about 63 miles east of Myrtle Beach.
Search efforts began which included two HC-130 aircraft, an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter, a 47-foot motor lifeboat and two 87-foot patrol boats. Crews searched through the night and into the morning.
An HC-130 Hercules aircraft from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City spotted an SOS strobe light around 12:45 a.m. Monday, the Coast Guard said. Crews also located the divers and launched a life raft.
"The HC-130 coordinated with the U.S. Navy Destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78), which was conducting a training exercise near the divers’ location to assist," the Coast Guard said in a release. "The Porter crew arrived on scene and rescued all four divers safely from the life raft."
A motor lifeboat from Coast Guard Station Oak Island brought the divers to land where they were reunited with their families.
“Any time the Coast Guard launches for a search and rescue case, it is always our hope and goal to be able to reunite those we are searching for with their friends and families,” said Capt. Timothy List, commander of Coast Guard Sector North Carolina. “In this case that is exactly what took place, which is always a great feeling for our rescue crews.”
The Coast Guard said the divers were not hurt.
(Video Courtesy: U.S. Coast Guard Video by Air Station Elizabeth City)
