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South Carolina Guard F-16s Help Rescue Boaters

March 10, 2015 South Carolina Guard F-16s Help Rescue Boaters
Jonathan Derden No Comments News

This month, members of the South Carolina National Guard are involved in a massive, state-wide disaster response exercise. Dubbed Vigilant Guard, the exercise involves both National Guard as well as civilian emergency services agencies, testing their readiness for combined relief operations in the wake of natural disasters, such as this year’s Category 4 hurricane scenario, or similar catastrophic events.

The South Carolina Air National Guard’s 169FW is a large player in Vigilant Guard, but for some pilots the simulated scenario turned real over the weekend. In a separate and unfortunate event unrelated to the exercise, some Swamp Fox F-16s enjoying a nice Sunday afternoon fight in the Warning Areas off the Carolina coast were re-tasked with locating a small 25-foot boat that capsized near the Ocean Isle Beach area of North Carolina.

While the F-16s located the stricken vessel, the US Coast Guard launched a Sikorsky MH-60 Jayhawk search-and-rescue helicopter from their Air Station in Elizabeth City. Fortunately, the “search” container was already checked, courtesy of the Swamp Fox Viper drivers. The result was exactly what you hope for: two boaters back on dry land and in good condition.

The USCG rescues two boaters after their vessel capsized off the North Carolina coast

The USCG rescues two boaters after their vessel capsized off the North Carolina coast

A job well done by the 169FW and the Coast Guard, demonstrating the effectiveness of agency interoperability in a time of grave need. Caveo Volpe!

About the Author

Jonathan Derden is an Airline Transport Rated-pilot with a regional airline in the mid-Atlantic region. Chair flying since being spoon fed as a child, Jonathan is a graduate of the aviation program at Jacksonville University and has been an airline pilot since 2007. When he's not flying for work, he's traversing the planet in search of the next opportunity as an aviation photojournalist. Jonathan began his photographic pursuits as a teenager while learning how to use his father's camera at a local general aviation airport, and has since broadened his horizons to include and now focuses on military aviation.

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