Dad and son abandon sinking boat 30 miles off Virginia coast, rescuers say
A father and son abandoned a fishing vessel that began sinking about 30 miles off the Virginia coast, officials said.
Officials received a distress call just after 9 a.m. Thursday, June 12, reporting that the crew of the 57-foot sport fisher was evacuating using a life raft after the boat started taking on water, the United States Coast Guard said in a June 12 news release.
The Coast Guard was able to locate and rescue Robert Hudson, 60, and his son Jeffrey Hudson, 30, after they activated their Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon, officials said.
A rescue helicopter found the men at about 10 a.m., and they were reunited with family members after a medical evaluation, officials said, adding that no one was injured.
“The quick response and the mariners’ preparedness significantly contributed to the rescue,” Chief Warrant Officer 3 Daniel Butierries, Sector Virginia command duty officer, said in the release.
As of June 12, the ship was still partially sunken about 30 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach, and a broadcast notice was issued telling mariners to avoid the area, according to officials.
This story was originally published June 13, 2025 at 9:26 AM with the headline "Dad and son abandon sinking boat 30 miles off Virginia coast, rescuers say."
