Woman Dies After She And Captain Rescued From Disabled Sailboat In Rough Seas Offshore Washington

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a man and a woman from a disabled sailboat in rough seas off the coast of Washington Monday night, but the woman ultimately died, officials said.

Dramatic video shared by the Coast Guard District 13 shows rough seas battering a 31-foot sailboat near Washington’s San Juan Islands Monday night as rescuers work to retrieve the boaters.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound received a mayday call from the captain of the sailboat at around 7 p.m. Monday. The 56-year-old man reported that the boat was disabled and drifting toward land. The Coast Guard launched a 45-foot rescue boat from Station Bellingham and an MH-65E Dolphin helicopter air crew from Air Station Port Angeles.

The Coast Guard said conditions at the scene were “snowy” with 25 to 30 mph winds with 4- to 6-foot seas. As Coast Guard personnel were attempting the rescue, the sailboat ran aground, and the vessel’s mast collapsed.

The helicopter crew lowered a rescue swimmer to reach the boaters. The man was hoisted to the rescue boat. The helicopter crew located the woman in the water and guided the rescue boat to her location. She was pulled out of the water and a crew member immediately began CPR.

the woman was then hoisted to the helicopter and flown to St. Joesph Medical Center in Bellingham, where she was later pronounced dead.

The man was transported to Station Bellingham and awaiting EMS transported him to St. Joesph Medical Center. One Coast Guard crew member who was injured during the rescue was transported to the hospital and released later that night.