WILMINGTON, N.C. — The Coast Guard rescued three people Saturday after their boat became disabled in Pamlico Sound near Hobucken.Station Hobucken watchstanders received a cellphone call from the distressed boaters at about 1 a.m. stating their 20-foot aluminum skiff was disabled in the vicinity of Brant Island Shoal, approximately six miles southeast of Pamlico Point. The caller expressed concerns about increasing winds and waves.A 45-foot Response Boat-Medium (RBM) crew launched from Station Hobucken at about 1:30 a.m. The crew arrived on scene at about 2:14 a.m. to find the skiff anchored near a navigational aid with waves breaking over the bow.The Coast Guard took all three passengers, one man and two women, aboard the RBM. The crew then towed the skiff to R.E. Mayo Docks in Hobucken, arriving at about 6 a.m.“These folks were familiar with the area and were smart to anchor near a navigational aid, making it easier for us to find them,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class J.C. Tyus, RBM coxswain for the case. “But they were depending solely on a cell phone for communication and were running low on battery power. Having a marine radio on board greatly enhances a boater’s ability to communicate. In an emergency, having a marine radio on board can mean the difference between life and death.”