SEATTLE — A Coast Guard boatcrew from Station Port Angeles rescued two people from a 49-foot sailboat beset by weather about one mile east of the New Dungeness Lighthouse, Tuesday afternoon.
A 40-year-old man and 26-year-old woman, both wearing life jackets and reportedly exhibiting signs of seasickness and hypothermia, were transferred to EMS at John Wayne Marina in Port Angeles at about 12:50 p.m.
A man on shore who saw the sailboat and what appeared to be a person in the water notified watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound, in Seattle, at around 10 a.m. An aircrew, aboard an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Port Angeles, and the boatcrew, aboard a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium, immediately launched and arrived at the sailboat’s location at around 11 a.m. The boatcrew placed the vessel in astern tow, but sea conditions caused the towline to separate from the vessel.
“The weather made this a very challenging rescue,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Slape, coxswain of the RBM. “While we had them in tow the cleats on their vessel broke off, so we had to get them onto our boat for their safety. We sent two crewmen onto their vessel to make sure we got them aboard safely.”
The vessel reportedly drifted to shore about one mile from the New Dungeness Lighthouse. There are no reports of any pollution.
Weather conditions on scene were reported to be 8-to-10 foot seas, 35-knot winds and a water temperature of 48 degrees.
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