SEATTLE — The Coast Guard rescued one person and two dogs from a sailing vessel that lost power near Vancouver Island, British Columbia on Wednesday.
Early Wednesday, Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound in Seattle received a report of a sailing vessel that was grounded after losing power.
The vessel, which reportedly had one person and multiple dogs on board, was being battered by large waves about three miles west of the Jordan River.
An aircrew from Coast Guard Station Port Angeles arrived on scene shortly after 1 a.m. and rescued a man and a dog from the vessel.
They were transported to the Canadian Coast Guard Station in Victoria, British Columbia, where they received emergency medical services.
The aircrew returned to the scene at about 11 a.m. to assess the damage. While they were there, they spotted a second dog within the wreckage.
A rescue swimmer recovered the dog, which was brought to the Canadian Coast Guard station where it was reunited with its owner.
“AET3 Austen Marshall and AST1 Lucas Wengrin did a phenomenal job effecting a challenging rescue in the heavy surf, as the sailing vessel smashed against the rocks,” said Lt. John Schultz, a pilot at Air Station Port Angeles. “Their patience and technical expertise in a highly dynamic environment directly lead to the safe recovery of the mariner and his two dogs. We are thankful for the happy outcome!”