Coast Guard Saves Five People and Their Dog From Boat Taking on Water

Five people and a dog were airlifted to safety after their shrimping boat ran aground and began taking on water off the South Carolina coast. The rescue was a logistical nightmare of the most perilous sort, with cables and fishing equipment impeding access to the stranded, flooded vessel.

Remarkably, this was not the first time the boat had required a Coast Guard rescue. Four years earlier, four people were airlifted from the same vessel as Hurricane Ian approached.

This latest emergency unfolded Wednesday, Oct. 28, near the Winyah Bay jetties in Georgetown County. A Coast Guard helicopter lifted everyone aboard to safety, with no injuries reported.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard Southeast, the crew of the Shayna Michele radioed Coast Guard Sector Charleston around 12:50 p.m., reporting that their vessel was taking on water and had become grounded on the jetty rocks.

Helicopter Crew Carries Out Difficult Rescue

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#SAR A @USCG Air Station
Savannah helicopter crew rescued 5 people and a dog from a commercial shrimping vessel taking on water near Winyah Bay, SC, Wednesday. All 5 people were evaluated by EMS. No injuries reported. #USCG

— U.S. Coast Guard Southeast (@USCGSoutheast) October 29, 2026

A crew from Coast Guard Station Georgetown diverted to help, while Sector Charleston worked with Georgetown County dispatch to bring additional vessels into the response.

Help also arrived from above. An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Savannah reached the stranded boat and lowered a rescue swimmer into the water. From there, the five people and their dog were hoisted aboard the helicopter, one by one.

“It was difficult to access the shrimping vessel with its many wires and cables,” said Lt. Hunter Shortly, the aircraft commander, in a statement reported by Live 5 News. He credited the rescue swimmer with getting everyone aboard the helicopter safely.

The Coast Guard transported the five people to a nearby airport for medical evaluation and reported no injuries. The vessel’s owner subsequently began coordinating salvage arrangements with the agency.

Treading Familiar Waters

This was hardly the first time the Shayna Michele had found itself in trouble. In September 2022, the shrimp boat experienced engine difficulties off Myrtle Beach as Hurricane Ian approached the Carolina coast. The Coast Guard rescued four people by helicopter before the storm arrived. With nobody left aboard, the boat later broke free from its anchor and washed ashore, becoming an unexpected attraction for curious beachgoers.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the vessel was among the notable sights left behind by Hurricane Ian. Local crews eventually freed it from the beach using excavation equipment and other shrimp boats, returning it to the water in early October.

Four years later, the Shayna Michele has survived stormy seas once again, though this time, its future remains uncertain. The Coast Guard is investigating the latest grounding, and the owner is working to recover the vessel once again.