CAPE HATTERAS, N.C. (WAVY) – Two boaters are in stable condition after the Coast Guard rescued them from a sailboat that was taking on water eight miles off the coast of Cape Hatteras Thursday morning.

Coast Guard Sector North Carolina command center was notified from towboat dispatch that a 22-foot sailing vessel with two people aboard had been partially dismasted, with an inoperable engine and was taking on water.

An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew from Air Station Elizabeth City responded and stayed at the scene until a Station Cape Hatteras 47-foot motor life boat crew got there.

The two people on the sailboat manually removed water from the vessel until help arrived, and they continued to do so until they were towed to shore. The Coast Guard said a station crew member got on the sailboat to help with damage control efforts. The exact location of the flooding was not known.

“This case highlights the importance of ensuring that you are well prepared for any situation that may present itself during your time on the water,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Christian Ibarra, the MLB coxswain. “Along with the normal safety gear required such as life jackets, flares and sound signals, it’s also pertinent to maintain dewatering equipment and damage control supplies to provide self-help until the Coast Guard or help arrives.”

A 47-foot motor lifeboat crew from Station Oregon Inlet relieved the tow, and the sailboat was taken to Oregon Inlet Marina, according to the Coast Guard, where the people were reported to be in stable condition.