The Coast Guard rescued a couple after their sailing boat overturned amid rough surf in New Jersey Friday night.
The pair’s 33-foot sailing boat grounded and overturned near Little Egg Inlet around 8 p.m. Friday as it made its way toward Atlantic City, the Coast Guard said in a news release.
Someone aboard radioed for help, and by the time rescuers arrived, the boat was on its side, the Coast Guard said.
“With high winds, driving rain and thunderstorms in the area, our aircrew worked to quickly lower the rescue swimmer to help the couple,” the agency reported Lt. Humberto Hernandez, a pilot who flew on the rescue, saying. “Our swimmer was able to walk in the shallow breaking surf to the Free Bird and assist the people away from the vessel to facilitate a safer hosting situation, away from the overturned vessel's mast.”
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The couple was airlifted and transferred to awaiting medical personnel, and both were in “good” condition, the Coast Guard reported.
The agency also reminded people of the importance of keeping reliable communication, ideally a VHF-FM marine radio, aboard their boats in case of emergencies.
