Thursday, April 19, 2007

Elizabeth City Coast Guard Rescues 3 Off the NC Coast

Despite gale force winds and an injured rescue swimmer, a Coast Guard helicopter from Elizabeth City was able to rescue 3 Canadians from their sinking catamaran Tuesday off the Carolina coast. Their 35 foot catamaran sustained a 5 foot long gash in one of her hulls due to giant swells and began to sink. After receiving the distress from their EPIRB the Coast Guard dropped survival suits from a C130 airplane to keep the crew from hypothermia until the rescue helicopter could arrive two hours later. The rescue helicopter had to contend with 40 foot waves crashing the cat's mast and rigging about and high winds, but to make matter worse their rescue swimmer Petty Officer 1st Class A.J. Thompson's hand was wrapped briefly by the rescue cable and injured while rescuing the first victim. Thompson fought through the injury and returned to the water twice more for the last two crew members. Due to the high westerly winds and decreasing fuel levels, the helicopter was forced to Bermuda instead of returning to Elisabeth City. More on the dramatic rescue is available from the Viginia Pilot.

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