Five people, including three children, were rescued from the dark, stormy waters off North Carolina on Friday night, just hours before Tropical Storm Ophelia made landfall there.
Two adults and three children, ages 4, 7 and 10, were aboard a 38-foot sailboat in Cape Lookout’s Lookout Bight when the boat’s owner decided he “didn’t feel comfortable” in the narrow channel due to the dangerous conditions and called. The U.S. Coast Guard Sector North Carolina called for help from a cell phone, according to a news release.
Ten-foot-high waves and 40-mph wind gusts rocked the anchored ship at that point.
The powerful tropical storm made landfall on Emerald Isle, just a few miles from Lookout Bight, at 6:15 a.m. the next morning, bringing with it 70 mph winds and tumultuous waves.
A 45-foot response boat navigated the narrow channel using parachute flares and reached the anchored catamaran shortly before 9 p.m.
A video shared by the U.S. Coast Guard showed part of the rescue operations to pull five passengers aboard a sailboat from dangerous waters in North Carolina as conditions worsened as Tropical Storm Ophelia approached.
All five passengers were taken on board and no injuries were reported.
A helicopter, seen in a video released by the Coast Guard, assisted in the daring nighttime rescue and provided light from above to help navigate back to the station.
The group arrived safely at the station at 10:22 p.m.
Tropical Storm Warnings were issued from North Carolina to Delaware due to Tropical Storm Ophelia.Fox Weather
The sailboat remained anchored and will be evaluated by local rescue teams once Tropical Storm Ophelia passes, the Coast Guard said in the statement.
North Carolina officials declared a state of emergency on Friday due to the storm.
It was forecast to cause storm surges of more than 6 feet in some areas, as well as life-threatening flooding, the National Hurricane Center warned.
Tropical Storm Ophelia is barreling through North Carolina and heading north, bringing strong wind gusts, coastal flooding and life-threatening rip currents.Fox Weather
Ophelia’s impacts were felt throughout the Outer Banks on Friday.
The region suffered widespread flooding and power outages on Saturday, while rain and strong winds were expected to continue into the weekend.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn