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Press Release | Nov. 3, 2023

MULTIMEDIA RELEASE: Coast Guard rescues man from aground sailboat near Charleston, South Carolina

PADET Jacksonville - Office: (904) 714-7606 / After Hours: (786) 393-4138

Petty Officer 3rd Class Noah Carrico conducts a safety sweep of Petty Officer 3rd Class Kanon Juneau, Coast Guard Station Charleston’s surface swimmer, before he enters the water to assist a man aboard a 31-foot sailboat aground on the Charleston jetties near Charleston, South Carolina, Nov. 2, 2023. Due to unsafe conditions, the Station Charleston boat crew could not safely remove the operator and he was hoisted by a Coast Guard Air Station Savannah helicopter crew and transported to Charleston Executive Airport in Johns Island. (U.S. Coast Guard photo, courtesy Seaman Caleb Brown) A Coast Guard Station Charleston boat crew surveys an aground sailboat on the Charleston jetties near Charleston, South Carolina, Nov. 3, 2023. A Coast Guard Air Station Savannah helicopter crew safely hoisted and transported the man aboard to Charleston Executive Airport in Johns Island the night before. (U.S. Coast Guard photo, courtesy Station Charleston)

Editor's Note: Click here to download helicopter hoist footage.

CHARLESTON, S.C. — The Coast Guard rescued a man from an aground sailboat, Thursday, on the Charleston jetties near Charleston.

Coast Guard Sector Charleston watchstanders received a report via VHF-FM channel 16 at 9:36 p.m. from the operator of a 31-foot sailboat stating his vessel was aground on the north jetty of Charleston Harbor and taking on water.

Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and directed the launch of a Coast Guard Station Charleston boat crew and a Coast Guard Air Station Savannah helicopter crew to assist. Sullivan’s Island Fire and Rescue and the Charleston Fire Department also launched boat crews.

The Station Charleston boat crew arrived on scene and deployed a surface swimmer to assess the situation. Due to unsafe conditions, the responding boat crews could not safely remove the operator.

The responding helicopter crew safely hoisted the operator from the sailboat and transported him to Charleston Executive Airport in Johns Island.

No injuries were reported.

The owner of the vessel will coordinate salvage and a safety marine information bulletin has been issued warning mariners of the potential hazard to navigation.

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-USCG-