Charleston, South Carolina – Four Charleston Harbor Branch Pilots got honors for saving a family from a sinking yacht in March.
The four pilots were recognized for their rapid response to a boat that sank after colliding with the North Jetty in Charleston Harbor.
On board, there were three people. A guy, a woman, and their nine-year-old daughter. The family came from Canada and spoke very little English.
The crew of the “Fort Moultrie” was already headed out to sea to fetch in another vessel. They heard a distress call and rushed to the family’s rescue.
Jess Kunkel, the harbor pilot, dragged everyone to safety. Kunkel and his fellow pilots were honored on their dock on Wednesday for their unselfish efforts. They claim it was dark and cold, so a speedy response and a collaborative effort were required.
“It’s something we train for because we are on the water so much, and with doing transfers and stuff like that, it’s bound to happen, and accidents do happen, so we are ready for it,” Kunkel told me. “Luckily, we trained enough that we were able to save these people, and the training kicked in when it needed to.”
These pilots are often not assigned with rescue missions. They monitor the harbor to protect seafarers and the environment, but Kunkel claims they were prepared for the crisis and arrived at the proper time.
