NC crews help Coast Guard rescue boaters stranded in Tropical Storm Alex
The Coast Guard and several partner agencies, including a pair of air stations based out of Elizabeth City, saved three boaters stranded in the midst of Tropical Storm Alex on Monday night.
An alert sent to the Coast Guard Fifth District Command Center indicated there were boaters in the center of the storm, about 395 miles southeast of Virginia Beach. There was no response when officials tried to contact the boaters by cell phone.
An Air Station Elizabeth City HC-130J Hercules aircraft crew and MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew went to find the vessel, finding the main mast was broken with the crew on deck signaling to them with flashlights.
No one was injured. Rescue crews reported 10-to-12 foot waves with 40 mile-per-hour winds as conditions.
"The Coast Guard was able to quickly locate these stranded mariners because they activated the on board EPIRB to signal that they were in distress," said Lt. Andrew Grady, Fifth District Command Center Command Duty Officer. "As we enter the busy boating season, the Coast Guard would like to remind the boating public on the importance of having safety gear and emergency signaling devices on board in case of distress."
