A man and woman had to be rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard on Monday night after their sailboat ran aground.
The U.S. Coast Guard said Puget Sound watchstanders received a mayday call via VHF radio from the sailboat captain around 7 p.m.
He said the sailboat was disabled and drifting toward land.
The Coast Guard said snowy conditions and 25 to 30 mph winds with four- to six-foot seas were reported as the on-scene weather.
The command centre launched a rescue boat from Station Bellingham along with an aircrew in a helicopter from Air Station Port Angeles.
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The Coast Guard said that as they were attempting the rescue, the sailboat ran aground. After the mast of the vessel collapsed, the aircrew lowered a rescue swimmer to reach the couple.
The rescue swimmer was able to find the man and hoist him on to the rescue boat and the helicopter crew guided the boat to the woman’s location in the water.
She was recovered unconscious, the Coast Guard said ,and the rescue crew immediately began CPR when she was hoisted into the boat.
The woman was flown in the helicopter to St. Joesph Medical Center in Bellingham. Sadly, she succumbed to her injuries, the Coast Guard said.
The man was taken back to base and transferred via ground ambulance to the same hospital.
A Coast Guard member injured during the rescue was transported to the hospital for evaluation and released later that night.
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