DEEPWATER RESCUE: Two boaters were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard after their sailing boat became disabled and de-masted off the coast of Clearwater, FL. The pair was airlifted to safety and are in stable condition.
CLEARWATER, Fla. – Two boaters were rescued 40 miles west of Tarpon Springs, Fla. on Wednesday. A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater helicopter crew rescued the pair after their 30-foot sailing boat became disabled.
According to the Coast Guard, a distress call came in around 3:24am and a rescue crew was deployed.
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The aircrew located the boaters and their de-masted boat, stuck in 4 to 6-foot surges and 20-knot winds, which is approximately 23 mph. A rescue swimmer with the crew was deployed and assisted with hoisting the boaters to the helicopter.
Both of the rescued boaters were in stable condition and were transferred to Air Station Clearwater.
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Petty Officer 2nd Class Jason Aybar, a search and rescue controller at Southeast District command center noted “the distress alert was vital in providing us critical information to rapidly deploy a helicopter crew to assist.”
The owner of the vessel is working on its recovery. The cause of the de-masting is unknown.
