Proof That PFD's Save Lifes

[jorluivil]

http://news.yahoo.com/boat-sinks-tex...165253660.html

Boat sinks, Texas man survives 30 hours in Gulf

By RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI | Associated Press – Tue, Mar 27, 2012



HOUSTON (AP) — For hours after their boat sank, Ken Henderson and Ed Coen treaded water in the Gulf of Mexico, talking about life and death while struggling to survive. For more than 30 hours, it worked.
Then Henderson was forced to make a decision that would save his life, but not his best friend's.
"This is the last-ditch effort, but I'm going to go for help or you're not going to make it," Henderson told Coen, just before cutting the strap that connected them in the deep, cold waters off the Texas coast.
"I understand," Coen responded, giving Henderson a last set of instructions. "Kiss them babies for me."
It was Friday around 4 p.m. when they parted.
On Tuesday, days after the fishing trip ended in tragedy, Henderson recounted the harrowing tale for The Associated Press, alternating between sorrow, guilt and laughter as he recalled the last 30 hours of Coen's life and the pain of living life without the man who had been his best friend for 25 years.



The saga began Thursday right around noon. They had been fishing for a few hours and popped open some Diet Coke's. A line in the water, they joked around.
Suddenly, Coen noticed the 30-foot Scarab was filling with water. Henderson started four bilge pumps. Water sprayed everywhere.
Coen quickly unhooked the boat from one of the many oil rigs in area where they had been fishing. Henderson revved an engine, but it died. Frantic, he got both motors roaring — only to have the saltwater that had leaked in kill them quickly. Bow to the wind, it was clear any wave could flip them.
[Related: Blast risk at North Sea oil rig]
"Mayday, mayday, mayday Marine 16," Henderson called over his Marine radio. He got no response.
He dialed 9-1-1 on his cellphone. There was no signal.
Suddenly, the bow went up. Henderson flew back. Coen jumped to the right, his sunglasses and cap flying off. Already wearing life jackets, the two ex-Marines grabbed extra life jackets and other floating items, including a half full bottle of Diet Coke.
"The water was so cold it took your breath away," Henderson said.
Coen, a slim man, immediately began to shiver.
After failing to swim to a gas well nearby, the pair prepared for a long wait. Coen worried his life jacket wouldn't hold him up, so Henderson strapped an extra around his friend's neck. Henderson feared he was getting pulled down and put a life jacket between his legs. With his pocket knife, Henderson created a train with an extra life jacket. He tied red material to the top of a boat pole, creating a flag.
And they talked.
"We talked about stuff that I'll never talk about. We discussed things and discussed life. We discussed families. We just tried to keep ourselves occupied," Henderson said.
As night fell, they took turns laying on each other's chests, conserving body heat. They tied their life jackets together to ensure they wouldn't drift apart in the dark.
They dozed. Coen started hallucinating. Henderson tried to keep Coen's arms and legs moving. He called him a sissy to get him angry. But as morning came, Coen's situation worsened. It took time to wake up. He tried to light a cigarette that wasn't in his mouth. He wanted to go to the store.
"I came to the realization that one of us may not make it or that both of us may not make it," Henderson said. "I just felt helpless sitting there with him."
About 3 p.m., the pair drifted toward a manned rig. Henderson realized his friend wasn't keeping his head above water. He put another life jacket behind Coen's head, but his friend pulled it over his face, trying to protect himself from the afternoon sun.
Henderson told Coen to kick to the rig. He pulled him as he swam, but Coen was sideways. Henderson told him to kick. Coen thought he was.
And so Henderson decided to cut the strap.
He swam for two hours, but lost his sense of direction. He was tired. Frustrated. Depressed. He rolled on his back and floated. It was after 7 p.m. when he woke up.
He saw another rig in the distance, and prayed for strength.
He swam, seeing ice and crystal trees in the water. He reminded himself constantly there were no trees. He focused on the phosphorescent plankton glowing in the water. He made it past a blinking light, a milestone that pushed him on toward the rig.
It was 2 a.m.
On legs so weak he could barely lift them, Henderson slowly pulled himself up the rig's barnacle-covered ladder. On deck, he closed and opened his eyes. Gingerly, he touched the floor.
"I'm here. I'm on a derrick," Henderson said out loud.
He found a galley with food, water and a phone. He called his wife, and told her to call the Coast Guard. He said he was on rig 633A. He poured himself a cup of water. He got out of his wet clothes, wrapped himself in a blanket, threw the clothes in a washing machine and reassured the unbelieving Coast Guard he had the right rig number.
[Related: Oregon rescue crews pull horse from septic tank]
"It was over 50 miles from where we went in the water," Henderson said.
All he could think of, though, was Coen. Convinced his friend would survive, he told the Coast Guard where they had parted.
Two hours later, Henderson was ashore in the Coast Guard dispatch room when haunting words came across the radio. A fisherman had found a body in a life jacket.
"Is that Ed? Is that Ed?" Henderson asked as Coast Guard officers ushered him from the room.
Later, in the hospital, Henderson saw his friend. He apologized and asked for forgiveness. He promised to fulfill his wishes, make him proud and look after his girls.
"I felt like a part of me had died out there," Henderson said.

[ful-rac]

Saw that this morning......poor guy. Thank god at least 1 ofem made it.

[tacklebox]

Damn man, chills ....
feel bad for his daughters. Makes you realize you need a GOOD marine radio and a backup too. I wish they made survival suits more affordable but I doubt people would get them anyway... were MEN afterall.

[Old Man in the Sea]

Sad\Scary Story...
3 weeks ago...I was explaining to my family how cool it was going to be fishing from my new PA off the coast. My dad who was in the marines, said "you had better buy a EPIRB unit for that thing" while my mom, wife and son were standing right there. SOOOO.... I got convicted and decided to get a small PLB that fits in side my life jacket. I already have a life insurance policy - but realized it would be better to spend the xtra money in case all of my other safety equipment fails. I know it is alot to spend if you are single - but if you are married with kids - you might want to check this out...



ACR 2881 ResQLink+ PLB Floats w/o Pouch

http://www.shopepal.com/p-14441-acr-...-wo-pouch.aspx

here are the details...

CR 2881 RESQLINK PLUS PLB FLOATS WITHOUT POUCH
ACR ResQLink+™
406 MHz GPS Personal Locator Beacon
Product Number: 2881
Model Number: PLB-375 (ResQLink+)

At 5.4 oz, the ResQLink+ weighs less than a couple of PowerBars®. And topping at just 4.5", it's smaller than the cell phone in your pocket. Small and mighty, the ResQLink+ is a full-powered, GPS-enabled rescue beacon designed for boaters, pilots and water-borne sportsmen.

With three levels of integrated signal technology - GPS positioning, a powerful 406 MHz signal, and 121.5 MHz homing capability - the ResQLink+™ quickly and accurately relays your position to a worldwide network of search and rescue satellites. A built-in strobe light provides visibility during night rescues.

PLBs have been proven tried and true in some of the world's most remote locations and treacherous conditions. Just ask the 400 or so pilots, boaters and back country explorers who were saved by a PLB during a rigorous test program in Alaska. Based in large part on the test results, the federal government approved use of PLBs in the United States in 2003.

Even in extreme conditions and situations, the ResQLink activates easily. Just deploy the antenna and press the ON button. With its powerful 66 channel GPS, the ResQLink+™ guides rescuers to within 100 meters or less of your position. And, in the continental U.S., search and rescue personnel are typically alerted of your position in as little as five minutes with a GPS-enabled PLB such as the ResQLink+™.

Two built-in tests allow you to routinely verify that the ResQLink+™ is functioning and ready for use - with the push of a button, you can easily test internal electronics and GPS functionality.

[Yakin]

Sad having to lose a fellow fisher even though we might know the one that was lost they are still family to use
And my wife and kid made me promise to always ware my PFD before launching and thats a promise I will never break!