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NEW ORLEANS – The Coast Guard rescued seven boaters and a dog from a vessel fire near Gulfport, Mississippi, Saturday morning.

Coast Guard Sector Mobile watchstanders received a mayday call over marine radio at 9:26 a.m. of a 45-foot Hatteras on fire with seven people and a dog aboard.

A Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew diverted to the call which arrived on scene and deployed a rescue life raft. Watchstanders coordinated the launch of a Coast Guard Station Gulfport 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boatcrew to rescue the boaters.

The RB-M boatcrew arrived on scene and embarked the seven mariners and dog aboard their vessel from the life raft.  The boatcrew then transferred the seven boaters and dog back to Station Gulfport to awaiting emergency medical services personnel.

"Today officially kicks off National Safe Boating Week. The prudent actions of those aboard the Hatteras – hailing mayday to the Coast Guard and all personnel wearing life jackets, coupled with the quick actions of the aircrew deploying the life raft, ultimately allowed the Coast Guard to bring all seven back to shore safely." said Lt. Cmdr. Kathleen Sullivan, a Sector Mobile search and rescue mission coordinator. "This case was a seamless example of teamwork and coordination between multiple different Coast Guard and local assets."