4 Volunteer firefighters died when boat capsized while fishing;

2 others swam to safety

Kevin Bell, 38, Griff Lygrely, 22, Michael Shope, 21, and Archibald McFadden, 20, were recovered from the water deceased.

Two other men were able to swim to shore and called 911 at about 11 last night.

The two men reported that the 18-foot vessel they were on, Wild Goose, capsized earlier that day off Holden Beach, N.C., with themselves and the four other men aboard. At some point during their ordeal, all six men decided to swim to shore. Three of four men were recovered wearing lifejackets.

After receiving the notification, Coast Guard Sector North Carolina immediately launched a 41-foot rescue boat from Station Oak Island, N.C., a C-130 airplane and HH-60 helicopter from Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., to search for the missing men. Earlier this morning, a Marine Corps helicopter from Air Station Cherry Point also launched to assist in the search. Local agencies were also involved in conducting shoreline searches.

The first of the four men was discovered at 7:34 a.m. The three other men were found within the next five minutes in the same vicinity. All the men were recovered by the 41-foot rescue boat and taken to Blue Water Point Marina where they were met by the local coroner.

Their were small craft advisories in effect in the area where the men were believed to have capsized with 5 to 10-knot winds, 1 to 2- foot seas and a water temperature of 58 degrees.

"Telling parents their children are deceased is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do," said Captain Dean Lee, commanding officer of Sector North Carolina. "I hope they know we did everything in our power to save their loved ones. All we can do now is use this as an opportunity to prevent this from happening again, and hopefully save other lives."

To minimize the risk of injury or accidents the Coast Guard urges boaters to adequately prepare themselves and their boats before plying the waters. Steps boaters can take include:

• Checking the weather. In the winter, conditions can change rapidly with little warning.
• If your vessel capsizes, try to stay with the vessel. The vessel may provide a platform out of the water or partially out of the water to reduce hypothermia, and is more easily seen than a person in the water.
• Carry a set of dry clothing. The risk of hypothermia increases as water temperature drops. A boater does not need to fall overboard to get hypothermia.
• Wear a life vest or anti-exposure suit. Wearing a life vest greatly increases the chances of survival if a boater falls in the water.
• Bring the appropriate equipment. EPIRBs, radios and flares, among other items, are essential in communicating rescuers in any distress situation. Though cell phones can be a useful backup to a radio, boaters are reminded that they have several limitations such as battery life, coverage and are difficult to pinpoint with direction finding equipment. The Coast Guard does not recommend cell phones as a primary means of communication.
• File a float plan with family or friends. A float plan consists of a description of the boat, the number of people on board, its destination, and when it will return.
• Utilizing the Coast Guard's Auxiliary Vessel Safety Check (VSC) program can ensure that the recreational boater is equipped with all required safety gear, making sure that a critical piece of lifesaving gear is not missing at a crucial time. Information regarding VSC and boating safety can be found at www.vesselsafetycheck.org and www.uscgboating.org.