Fifth District
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: Nov. 17, 2008
Contact: Fifth District Public Affairs
(757) 398-6272

Coast Guard rescues 4 adults, 1 child
from disabled sailboat

PORTSMOUTH, Va. - A Coast Guard helicopter crew hoisted four adults and one 4-year-old girl to safety Sunday afternoon 175 nautical miles west-northwest of Bermuda after their sailboat became disabled.

The sailors aboard the 47-foot sailboat, Panache, lost steering and propulsion while transiting to St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, from Annapolis, Md., and contacted the Coast Guard via satallite phone requesting assistance.  An HC-130J Hercules aircraft crew from Elizabeth City, N.C., marked the position of the sailboat and vectored the Elizabeth City MH-60J Jayhawk helicopter in.  After being hoisted to safety the five people were taken to Bermuda.

During the hoist, the winds were more than 30 knots and the seas were 15 feet.

The Jayhawk crew was able to complete the rescue with the assistance of watchstanders at the Rescue Coordination Center in Portsmouth, the Hercules aircraft crew providing on scene communications, and the Coast Guard Cutter Legare who will provide fuel for the helicopter to return Monday afternoon.