On February 8, the fishing vessel Sea Puppy caught fire off St. Catherines Island, Georgia. The Coast Guard was alerted by the crew the vessel was on fire and sinking. The Coast Guard dispatched a helicopter from Savannah along with an 29 foot response boat from Tybee Island. The helicopter arrived on scene and hoisted all three crew off the Sea Puppy safely. No reports of injuries.

The fire gutted the vessel which a short time later sank. The Coast Guard remained on site to monitor the area for pollution. The incident is under investigation.