ST.THOMAS, Virgin Islands— U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) rescued a man Tuesday afternoon from the water near Coki Point.
“While patrolling our coast, Air and Marine Agents are also vigilant to respond to distress calls from people at sea,” stated Johnny Morales, Director of Air Operations at the CBP Caribbean Air and Marine Branch.
in St. Thomas
A CBP Marine unit spotted a lifejacket floating with no person around it near the shore of Mandaul Bay, St. Thomas. Approximately ten minutes later the boat crew spotted a wind surfboard floating off of Coki Point, finding a white male clinging to the board struggling to keep his head above water.
The rescued man declined medical attention and requested to be taken to Sugar Bay Resort, where he had rented the wind surfboard.
AMO is a federal law enforcement organization dedicated to serving and protecting the American people through advanced aeronautical and maritime capabilities.
The Caribbean Air and Marine Branch is the only federal law enforcement organization in the Caribbean Basin with integrated air and marine interdiction capabilities. It is charged with detection and interdiction of airborne and maritime smuggling and uses organic radar facilities to detect and intercept air smuggling attempts, and airborne radar tracking aircraft to detect maritime smugglers.