PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — Rescue airmen saved a father and son stranded at sea after their boat caught fire about 500 nautical miles off the east coast of Southern Florida early Saturday morning, Patrick Air Force Base officials said.
A Guardian Angel team from the 920th Rescue Wing worked as part of a concerted effort—including four aircraft—to rescue the two German citizens, a 66-year-old father and his 48-year-old son.
Both men, one of whom was badly burned, were airlifted Orlando Regional Medical Center.
The Patrick team sent an HC-130P/N "King" fixed-wing combat rescue aircraft, piloted by eight airmen and carrying six Guardian Angel airmen trained in rescues, toward the boaters around 2:30 p.m. Friday.
After arriving two hours later, five pararescuers jumped into the water to lift the boaters onto a small lifeboat from the nearby Nord Nightingale freighter.
Helicopters took the two boaters and rescue airmen from the freighters back to Central Florida around 8:30 p.m. Friday, landing on an Orlando high school’s football field to transport the patients to ORMC around 1:30 a.m. Saturday.
"When you actually get to do something you train for; it's really satisfying," said Capt. Dan Morgese, aircraft commander. "Excellent communication and planning among all involved, made the mission successful."