The Coast Guard rescued a 57-year-old man Sunday from a sailboat sinking 58 miles east of Cape Hatteras, N.C.
Coast Guard Sector North Carolina was contacted around 3 p.m. after a personal locator beacon registered to the sailing vessel The Answer started broadcasting a distress signal, a Coast Guard news release said.
"Emergency beacons are an important piece of safety equipment," said Captain Anthony Popiel, the commanding officer of Sector North Carolina. "The Coast Guard strongly urges all mariners to carry an Glossary Link EPIRB aboard their vessel, especially when they are offshore and out of marine radio range."
A 47-foot motor life boat from Coast Guard Station Oregon Inlet and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and crew from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City were dispatched to locate and assist the sailboat. The Jayhawk crew hoisted the man from the sailboat before taking him back to Air Station Elizabeth City. The man was transported to Albemarle Hospital where he was treated for hypothermia and released.
Cospass-Sarsat