ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — Three people were airlifted from a grounded sailboat on Sunday night, the Coast Guard said.
Someone aboard the 24-foot sailboat "Jubilation" contacted watchstanders over the radio shortly before 9 p.m., reporting they had run aground on Brant Island Shoals in the Pamlico Sound. The person reported that there were two adults on board the board, as well as a 10-year-old child.
A Coast Guard response boat was dispatched from Station Hobucken, but once on scene, the crew determined the water was too shallow to safely reach the sailboat.
Next, an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter took off from Air Station Elizabeth City to get the stranded boaters to safety as weather conditions began to deteriorate.
The aircrew arrived and was able to safely hoist all three people off the boat and onto the helicopter. There were no reported injuries.
“This is the type of scenario where quick decision making and coordination is key,” said Chief Petty Officer Jason Frivance, command duty officer during the case, in a news release. “We had to make adjustments to the original plan but were still able to quickly get to these people before weather conditions worsened. This is what our crews train for.”