Five individuals have been successfully rescued by the Coast Guard after their sailboat began to sink hundreds of miles off the coast of North Carolina on Thursday.
Upon receiving a distress call from the crew of the sailboat named “Magic Bus” approximately 260 nautical miles from Cape Hatteras, the Coast Guard sprang into action.
The crew had reported that their vessel was taking on water and had sought refuge in a life raft.
A response operation involving the cutter Angela McShan (WPC 1135), an HC-130 Hercules airplane, and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Elizabeth City was launched by the Coast Guard.
Images captured the Jayhawk helicopter hovering above tumultuous dark green waters, with a small orange life raft floating below, being tossed by the wind and waves.
Another image depicted the white sailboat tilting to one side and nearly submerged.
Due to the boat’s remote location from shore, the Coast Guard worked with the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush to provide fuel support for the helicopter, enabling it to extend its range for the offshore rescue mission.
The HC-130 crew eventually located the life raft and confirmed that all five individuals were on board, stable and in good condition. The Jayhawk crew then safely hoisted them to the helicopter.
After refueling on the George H.W. Bush, the helicopter transported the rescued sailors back to Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, where they were found to be in good health by officials.
It remains unclear why the group was sailing so far offshore or how their voyage led them over 250 miles away from land.
The Coast Guard has shared photos and videos of the rescue, highlighting the challenging conditions faced by the crews during the operation.
