Officials Urge Safety as Boating Season Begins

Officials Recover Capsized Boat in Ocean Springs Harbor

It’s just the beginning of boating season in Mississippi and already officials are dealing with the dangers that can so often accompany that pastime. MPB’s Phoebe Judge has more.

The scene at the Ocean Springs harbor yesterday morning was tense, as residents and officials watched as a 20 foot motor boat was pulled onto a trailer.

“We located the boat capsized out there, and recovered the boat but there was nobody in it.”

That’s Ocean Springs Police Lieutenant Steve Futral. Three of the five people missing from that boat were other Ocean Springs police officers, who along with two women had left the harbor on Sunday morning for a trip out to Horn Island in the Gulf. They never returned, and the Coast Guard was alerted and a massive search begun. Fifteen hours after the search started four of the five boaters were found floating in the water all wearing life jackets, they are in stable condition.

“I don’t mind searching I like going out and helping people, but if I didn’t have to I would be a happy person.”

Michael Wood is with the Coast Guard Station Gulfport. The search for the missing Ocean Springs boaters comes during National Safe Boating Week. Wood says all boaters have to make sure they are prepared before leaving the dock,

“Make sure you have all of your safety equipment, which goes into your life jackets, flares, whistles, fire extinguishers, and making sure you have good communications with someone if you get into distress.”

The Coast Guard also suggests that boaters create a float plan that lets others know where they are going and when they will return. The fifth boater, Ocean Springs police officer Stephen Bond was last seen clinging onto the hull of the boat not wearing a life jacket.