The U.S. Coast Guard helped rescue two overdue divers in South Carolina’s Port Royal Sound early Friday.
Coast Guard Sector Charleston received a request for assistance at about 12:20 a.m. Friday from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office to find the divers, according to a service release.
One man, Allen Devier, 49, had not returned from his dive by 9 p.m. and his wife contacted authorities.
The sheriff’s office conducted “a cell phone exigent request” and provided the Coast Guard positional information for the divers about 2 miles east of Hilton Head.
Watchstanders scrambled a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crew. They found an empty center console boat, according to the release.
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The other diver, 66-year-old Jimmy Armstrong, was found in the water at about 1:30 a.m., less than a mile from the vacant vessel.
He was hoisted up and taken to Savannah’s Memorial Health Hospital.
Assisted by a Coast Guard Station Tybee Island boat crew and state agencies, the search for Devier continued through the night, according to the release.
Eventually the helicopter crew had to return to Coast Guard Air Station Savannah due to fatigue limits.
Just before 8 a.m. Friday, a charter fishing vessel departing Beaufort located Devier near the south end of Parris Island.
The crew fished him from the water and returned him ashore in good condition.
Coast Guard officials did not immediately respond to requests for further information on the rescue.
Officials at the hospital did not immediately respond to queries about Armstrong’s condition.
“This challenging case that resulted in a positive outcome is a reminder that anything can happen on the water and it is vital to be prepared for any emergency that may arise,” said Lt. Cmdr. Christie, an assistant search and rescue mission coordinator for Sector Charleston, in a prepared statement emailed to Navy Times.
Also Friday, Coast Guard officials announced they had suspended its search for Jim Slauson, 73, a Florida man who disappeared this week during the WaterTribe Everglades Challenge, a guided-path small boat race.
His son reported him missing Monday and his Core Sound vessel was found that evening.
Coast Guard officials searched nearly 10,000 square nautical miles for the missing mariner.
“Suspending a search and rescue case is one of the toughest parts of the job,” said Capt. Matthew Thompson, Sector St. Petersburg’s commander. “Our thoughts are with the family during this difficult time.”
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Geoff is the managing editor of Military Times, but he still loves writing stories. He covered Iraq and Afghanistan extensively and was a reporter at the Chicago Tribune. He welcomes any and all kinds of tips at geoffz@militarytimes.com.
