Coast Guard rescues 6 in Louisiana from disabled bass boat

MORGAN CITY, La. – The Coast Guard says a helicopter crew rescued two adults and four children early Christmas Eve from a disabled bass boat in Louisiana.

A Coast Guard news release says the 16-foot (5-meter) bass boat was in water too shallow for a St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office rescue boat to reach.

The sheriff’s office reported at 12:50 a.m. Monday that the boat was in trouble in the Atchafalaya Bay near Morgan City, about 70 miles (112 kilometres) from New Orleans.

A Coast Guard news release says a helicopter was in the air at New Orleans 25 minutes later and reached the scene at 2:30 a.m. All six people were hoisted into the helicopter, and were at the airport in nearby Patterson before 4 a.m.