TYBEEE, GA — The U.S. Coast Guard assisted a Good Samaritan in rescuing seven people from a vessel taking on water off the Georgia coast Saturday afternoon, officials said.

A U.S. Coast Guard Station Tybee boat crew was on patrol when it encountered a Good Samaritan already towing a vessel with seven people on board. Officials said the vessel was taking on water.

The Coast Guard crew transferred a dewatering pump and one crewmember onto the vessel to help control flooding as the situation was assessed, officials said.

Coast Guard crews worked alongside the Good Samaritan before transferring all seven passengers to the Coast Guard boat.

The Coast Guard then established a side tow of the vessel and safely transported it to the Houlihan Boat Ramp in Georgia.

Station Tybee officials described the timing of the response as “right place, right time.”

“Our U.S. Coast Guard Southeast District crews are trained, equipped and ready to save lives and protect our waterways every day,” U.S. Coast Guard Southeast officials said.