Coast Guard saves mariner from burning boat off Virginia coast

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a man from a boat that had caught fire 60 miles east of Chincoteague, Virginia, Thursday.

At 8:30 p.m., the Coast Guard received an emergency radio beacon with the location of the 45-foot sailboat Trilogy, then dispatched a plane and helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City in North Carolina.

The plane arrived at the scene first at 10:10 p.m. and found a 58-year-old man, unnamed by the Coast Guard, sitting in a dinghy. Close by was the Trilogy, which was on fire. The helicopter arrived 40 minutes later and took him to safety. He had no reported injuries.

The Coast Guard didn't report the cause of the fire.

“Due to this mariner’s diligence to have [an emergency beacon] on board his vessel, rescue crews were alerted to his distress and arrived in a timely manner,” said Lt. j.g. Erin Bellen, search and rescue operations unit controller with the 5th Coast Guard District.