Rescuers find sunken sailboat as three passengers drift in dinghy, Coast Guard says
A sailboat flooded a mile off Georgia’s coast, forcing three people on board to find an escape, officials said.
U.S. Coast Guard officials sent out an alert at approximately 1 p.m. on Feb. 4 after receiving a marine distress signal from a 26-foot sailboat called the Last Chance with three people aboard, according to a news release. When rescuers made it to the scene, they found the boat submerged, officials said.
While a mile north of St. Marys Inlet, the Last Chance struck ground and started to sink, the Coast Guard said.
The three on board put on life jackets and hopped in a dinghy, drifting on the water in 20-mph winds, according to officials.
A Coast Guard boat crew and helicopter crew were deployed to aid in the search for the boat, officials said. A few boaters in the area also helped, the Coast Guard said.
By the time rescuers arrived, most of the sailboat was under water, the Coast Guard said. The three passengers were discovered in the dinghy floating near the sunken ship and pulled aboard a rescue boat, according to officials.
The three boaters were taken to Dee Dee Bartels Boat Ramp in Fernandina Beach, Florida, to be examined for injuries by EMS, officials said.
A warning was issued for boaters in the area to avoid the submerged boat, according to the Coast Guard.
St. Marys is along the Florida-Georgia border, about 35 miles north of Jacksonville.
This story was originally published February 5, 2024 at 12:04 PM with the headline "Rescuers find sunken sailboat as three passengers drift in dinghy, Coast Guard says."
