The U.S. Coast Guard rescued an injured man after his yacht ran aground off the coast of Georgia this week.
On Wednesday afternoon, Coast Guard Charleston lookouts received a distress call from a sailor reporting a sinking yacht near Sapelo Bay, Georgia, according to a news release.
According to the Coast Guard, the man radioed that his 36-foot boat, the Quicksilver, had run aground and was hitting the water.
“Observers issued an emergency marine information broadcast and directed the activation of a boat crew from Coast Guard Station Brunswick and a helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Savannah,” the release states. Commercial salvage also responded to the scene.
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U.S. Coast Guard Station Brunswich and U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Savannah teamed up with McIntosh County Fire and Rescue to rescue a man whose sailboat ran aground on the Georgia coast Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (U.S. Coast Guard Southeast)
After commercial salvage arrived on the scene, first responders attempted to prepare the sailboat for towing. However, the Coast Guard said the man on board the stranded vessel suffered serious injuries to his hand while trying to retrieve the boat’s anchor.
A Brunswick Police Department boat crew then arrived on scene along with McIntosh County Fire Rescue personnel to assess the man’s injuries. They decided they needed to evacuate him by helicopter so he could receive immediate treatment.
Video released by the Coast Guard shows the man being hoisted away from the scene.
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According to Coast Guard officials, the man in distress radioed the U.S. Coast Guard Charleston for assistance on VHF-FM channel 16. (U.S. Coast Guard Southeast)
“A helicopter crew from Savannah Air Station, along with emergency medical technicians from McIntosh County Fire and Rescue, safely removed the man from the yacht and transported him to Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah,” the Coast Guard said in a statement.
A commercial salvage grounded the yacht and it was towed to a marina in Ballona, Georgia, officials said.
The U.S. Coast Guard Southeast has advised that operational Very High Frequency (VHF) marine radios can save lives during maritime emergencies.
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Images show a sunken yacht and first responders working to rescue an injured man after his boat, the Quicksilver, ran aground near Sapelo Bay, Georgia. (U.S. Coast Guard Southeast)
According to a Coast Guard brochure, VHF radios are “critical safety equipment” that must be kept on boats and can be the only means of communication from sea to land for mariners in an emergency.
In the event of an emergency, a VHF radio mayday call to channel 16 should include the boat’s name, location, and a description of the emergency, if time permits. The Coast Guard is asking those at risk to describe what’s on the boat, how many people are on board, whether there are any injuries and whether everyone is wearing a life jacket.
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Anyone talking on the radio should speak slowly and repeat this information three times to ensure the emergency message is received and the Coast Guard can respond.
The Coast Guard says boaters should not rely on their cell phones while out on the water. This is because cell phones have limited range and do not work if they get wet.
