AVON, N.C. (WAVY) – The U.S. Coast Guard Station Hatteras Inlet says they rescued three people from a disabled vessel Tuesday morning off the coast of Avon.
According to a Facebook post from the U.S. Coast Guard Station Hatteras Inlet, the station was notified a disabled sailing vessel carrying three people was around three nautical miles offshore from Avon.
Officials say the Coast Guard began making its way to the vessel. Due to the increasing weather, an MH-60 Jayhawk the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City was also dispatched to assist in the rescue.
As a result of the weather, the surfman on board determined that towing the vessel either north or south would be difficult due to the gale conditions.
Officials then decided that the safest way to rescue the people on the vessel was to do a helicopter evacuation.
The rescue swimmer on the MH-60 Jayhawk was able to safely rescue all three people from the sailboat.
