Mobile Post - The U.S. Coast Guard's (USCG) search and rescue following a deadly incident Saturday, April 28, on Mobile Bay ended at sundown Thursday, April 30, when the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Marine Patrol Division took the lead on the recovery and accident investigation.
ALEA personnel worked around the clock since the mission began Saturday afternoon to assist the USCG with search and rescue efforts in the bay, which was hit by severe weather during a sailing regatta. (The incident caused several vessels to capsize, leaving a number of people in the bay. Forty-plus individuals were rescued that afternoon.)
Today, May 1, the search continues on the west side of the Dauphin Island Bridge area to the Alabama-Mississippi state line. ALEA command has set up in the agency's Mobile Command Unit at the Coast Station.
"My thoughts and prayers are with the families affected by the Dauphin Island boating tragedy last Saturday," Governor Robert Bentley said. "The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Marine Patrol and Aviation Unit have worked continuously to ensure all state resources are available to assist the with the recovery efforts. In times of need, our law enforcement officers work to assist Alabamians. I appreciate their hard work and continued support for those involved in the boating disaster and recovery."
Secretary of Law Enforcement Spencer Collier agreed and said, "It is our honor to serve the citizens of Alabama during such tragic times, and I applaud the efforts of our Marine Patrol Division, Aviation Unit and other personnel who have worked tirelessly to assist in the search and rescue operation."
Collier added that the consolidation of state law enforcement assets under ALEA resulted in a much quicker response and eliminated bureaucratic hurdles that often lengthen response times to emergency situations.
The following assets are being used:
- One ALEA helicopter
- Three ALEA Trooper vessels (air boat, small work boat and a 28-foot Challenger). Two Mobile County Sheriff's Office search-and-rescue vessels (air boat, small search boat). Two Daphne Search and Rescue vessels Search teams are concentrating on the north shore of the Mississippi sound and using all shallow-water assets to search the shoreline. Air support also continues to assist in the area. In addition, Daphne Search and Rescue has been using sonar technology in the last-known area of NONO 9. That team has located a target on the bottom that appears to be a sailboat.
In the meantime, ALEA Marine Patrol Troopers have begun the accident investigation process, and three of the eight vessels currently are being investigated. These operations will continue throughout the day. Nothing more is available as the effort is ongoing.
