Hunter Shortly
U.S. Coast Guard · Lt. · Aircraft commander
Coast Guard Air Station Savannah helicopter crew
Coast Guard · Rescue at sea
Five shrimpers and their dog were stuck on a sinking boat. A Coast Guard helicopter crew brought every one of them home.
Oct. 28, 2026 · Winyah Bay, South Carolina
A Coast Guard Air Station Savannah helicopter arrives over the Shayna Michele.
Photo credit: U.S. Coast Guard photo (via DVIDS)
Around 12:50 p.m. on Oct. 28, 2026, the crew of the commercial shrimp boat Shayna Michele radioed Coast Guard Sector Charleston. Their boat was grounded on the Winyah Bay jetty in South Carolina and taking on water.
A Coast Guard Station Georgetown boat crew diverted to help, and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Savannah went to work hoisting everyone aboard off the boat.
Looking down from the helicopter during the rescue.
Photo credit: U.S. Coast Guard video still (via DVIDS)
All five people and one dog were lifted to safety and flown to a local airport, where emergency medical services checked them. No injuries were reported.
“It was difficult to access the shrimping vessel with its many wires and cables, but our rescue swimmer did a phenomenal job of getting all aboard to safety.”
Lt. Hunter Shortly, aircraft commander, Coast Guard Air Station Savannah
Read the original releaseU.S. Coast Guard news release
Photos are official U.S. government images, lightly cleaned for clarity only. Nothing was added or changed in the scene.
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