Coast Guard rescues five people from stranded pontoon boat in Chincoteague Bay

The United States Coast Guard assisted a disabled boat with five people aboard just after midnight Wednesday, July 5, near Mosquito Creek in Chincoteague Bay.

Coast Guard Sector Virginia watchstanders received a notification that a 21-foot pontoon boat reportedly suffered an engine casualty and needed assistance, said the Coast Guard in a news release. A Coast Guard Station Chincoteague 27-foot Shallow Water Special Purpose Craft boat crew launched to assist the boaters, who were disabled in an area difficult to navigate.

“Our crew was able to get on scene with the pontoon, assess the operational picture and prevent the situation from deteriorating into something more severe,” said Senior Chief Petty Officer Conor Bennett, Station Chincoteague officer-in-charge. “The Coast Guard recommends boaters take free boating safety courses, which are valuable to boaters of all experience levels. These courses cover a variety of topics like proper safety gear to have, boating traffic rules and how to handle maritime emergencies just to name a few. The courses are available through multiple organizations throughout the nation, such as the Coast Guard Auxiliary.”

According to the release, the station crew brought the boaters to their nearby campground with no reported injuries.

CHINCOTEAGUE: Beebe Ranch, home to Misty of Chincoteague, gets its savior as museum completes purchase

CHESAPEAKE BAY: Oyster harvest rebounds in Bay and its waters, and here's what's driving recovery

Olivia Minzola covers communities on the Lower Shore. Contact her with tips and story ideas at ominzola@delmarvanow.com.

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Coast Guard rescues five people from stranded boat in Chincoteague Bay