CAPE LOOKOUT, N.C. (WNCN) — Five people — including three young children — were rescued from a sailboat off the North Carolina coast as Tropical Storm Ophelia hit the area Friday night, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
The incident was reported just before 7:15 p.m. in Lookout Bight in Cape Lookout, according to a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard.
People aboard the 38-foot catamaran named “Wanderful Life” called the Coast Guard while at Lookout Bight, the news release said.
All passengers aboard were wearing lifejackets and three of them were children, ages 10, 7, and 4.
A Coast Guard 45-foot medium response boat crew used parachute flares to find their way because of “adverse conditions” created by Tropical Storm Ophelia. There were 10-foot swells at the time with winds up to 40 mph while the boat was anchored at Lookout Bight.
Crews arrived at 8:55 p.m. and transferred people from “Wanderful Life” by just before 9:25 p.m.
A Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew also arrived and provided an overhead light for the trip back to the Coast Guard station, arriving there at 10:22 p.m.
The sailing vessel was left anchored and will be assessed by local salvage crews after Tropical Storm Ophelia passes.
No one was injured.
