Video: U.S. Coast Guard Rescues Four From Burning Fishing Vessel

On Monday night, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued four people from a commercial fishing vessel that caught fire near Fort Morgan, Alabama. All four were safely evacuated from the vessel and transported to shore in stable condition.

Coast Guard Sector Mobile received a distress call at about 1845 hours Monday from the commercial fishing boat Alexandria Pearl, which reported that it was on fire and in need of assistance at a position just south of Fort Morgan.

Two MH-65 helicopter aircrews out of the service's training center in Mobile were conducting a training flight nearby, and they diverted to respond to the distress call. One of the helicopters lowered a rescue swimmer and a life raft, and all four crewmembers aboard the vessel abandoned ship into the raft.

A Coast Guard Station Dauphin Island rescue boatcrew arrived shortly and took aboard all four people from the raft. They were taken to shore for evaluation by emergency medical services.  

The Gulf Shores Fire Department and the Mobile Bar Pilots also contributed to the rescue, according to local media. The cause of the fire is under investigation.