NORFOLK, Va. — The U.S Coast Guard rescued four boaters along the Outer Banks Thursday after their sailboat got caught in choppy waters caused by Hurricane Ian.
Coast Guard Station Oregon Inlet responded to a call from mariners aboard the CATALYST, who were unable to move the sailing vessel to calmer water and had to anchor their boat outside of the Oregon Inlet Bar, the USCG said in a Facebook post.
Eventually, the anchor line snapped and the CATALYST began to drift. The mariners abandoned their vessel and Coast Guard crews pulled them from the water and took them safely to shore.
The National Park Service said the boat grounded itself along the north end of the Oregon Inlet on Friday.
Officials are working with the owner to have the boat removed in the coming days. The National Parks Service said that visitors should avoid the area until the boat is safely removed.
The Coast Guard is using this incident as an opportunity to remind mariners that they need to be aware of incoming weather conditions where they are sailing.
