NAGS HEAD, N.C. — The Coast Guard and Nags Head Fire Rescue rescued a 70-year-old man after his vessel capsized on the Roanoke Sound in North Carolina.
According to a release from the Coast Guard, Nags Head Fire Rescue crews found the man west of Jockey's Ridge State Park. He was showing signs of severe hypothermia.
After the recovery, emergency medical services took the man to the Outer Banks Hospital.
The Coast Guard said they received a notification from a family member reporting that the man was overdue from getting back from a trip on an inflatable sailing vessel.
The Coast Guard launched a 27-foot Shallow-Water Response Craft, a Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and local rescue crews.
Crews arrived at the scene near Roanoke Island and found a pontoon from the vessel in the marsh near Jockey's Ridge. Helicopter crews found the rest of the vessel capsized in the middle of Roanoke Sound with no one on board.
“If he was not wearing a lifejacket, he may have not survived out there,” said Lt. Cmdr. Nicholas M. Pavlik, the search and rescue mission coordinator for the Coast Guard Sector North Carolina.
“His diligence to wear protective gear while on the water contributed to his life being saved. As we approach the warmer months of the year, it should be noted that warmer temperatures do not mean warmer water. Always be prepared and check the weather before going out.”
