THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 19, 1996 TAG: 9601190751
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Short : 29 lines
A commercial fisherman whose small boat sank after experiencing engine problems owes his safe rescue to a strong voice and alert Coast Guardsmen.
The man, believed to be in his 50s, was rescued about 5:50 p.m. in the Elizabeth River near Craney Island by swimmers from the Coast Guard cutter Northland.
The cutter was tied up at a pier at the Coast Guard station in Portsmouth when a crewman standing watch heard someone yelling for help, said Ensign George Bamford, the cutter's spokesman.
An alert was sounded, but the cutter didn't have to move.
``It was faster to just have the rescue swimmers swim out to him and bring a life ring to him,'' Bamford said.
Lt. j.g. Mike Campbell and third-class Petty Officer Chris Boykin jumped into the river and swam out about 150 yards. They found the fisherman and fixed the life ring to him , then crewmen back on the cutter pulled the ring in with a line attached to it.
Bamford said the fisherman, whose name was not available, was fine.
He was taken to a local clinic for a checkup. by CNB