Coast Guard Saves Three off Carolina Coast

As Rough As It May Seem,It's Still Steady As You Go...


PORTSMOUTH, Va. - Three mariners onboard a 53-foot sailboat
are safe after their vessel became disabled in 10-foot seas
and 25-knot winds 34 miles south of Cape Fear, N.C.,
yesterday evening.

Coast Guard watch standers at Coast Guard Sector Charleston
were notified by Tow Boat U.S., a commercial salvage
company. The crew of the 53-foot sailing vessel Leroy
requested assistance after they suffered an engine
casualty and began drifting off the South Carolina coast.

Coast Guard rescue crews from Stations Georgetown, S.C.,
and Station Oak Island launched 41-foot utility boats to
assist the Leroy's crew but were forced to turn back after
watch standers at Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) in
Portsmouth, Va., determined that the heavy winds and seas
would put the rescue crews and their vessels at risk.

"It was determined that the distance to the vessel combined
with the unsafe weather conditions on scene were outside
of the safe operating limits of the 41-foot utility boats
and would put both the rescue crews and their vessels at risk,"
said Lt. Emily Morrison, a watch stander at RCC Portsmouth.

Rescue crew's onboard a 47-foot motor lifeboat from Station
Wrightsville Beach, N.C., and an HH-65 helicopter from Air
Station Charleston, S.C., were then dispatched to assist the
Leroy's crew.

After a four hour transit, in 10 to 12-foot seas and 30 knot
winds, aboard their 47-foot motor life boat, Station Wrightsville
Beach's rescue crew arrived on scene at 12:00 a.m., and took
the sailboat in tow.

The 47-foot motor life boat crew safely towed the Leroy to the
South Harbor Village Marina in Southport, N.C., arriving
shortly after 7:30 this morning.

"Everybody in my crew did a really good job setting up the tow in
the rough conditions last night," said Coast Guard Petty Officer
1st Class Chris Schwalm, boatswain's mate and rescue coxswain from
Station Wrightsville Beach, N.C.

The 47-foot motor lifeboat is a self righting, self bailing, all
aluminum vessel, capable of operating in 20-foot breaking seas, 60
knot winds, and can survive impacts three times the force of
gravity. They carry a standard crew of four and can carry five
additional passengers/survivors in an internal survivor's
compartment.