PORT ANGELES — A 54-year-old man had been treated and released from Olympic Medical Center by Wednesday morning after suffering injuries on his sailboat 13 miles west of Port Angeles the evening before.
At about 10:30 Tuesday evening, Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound received a distress call from the 40-foot sailing vessel Beth just outside Crescent Bay, Petty Officer 3rd Class Nate Littlejohn said.
The caller, also on the sailboat, said the captain of the Beth had suffered serious injuries to his back, ribs and both arms after being struck by the vessel’s boom.
A Coast Guard helicopter and 45-foot rescue boat with a Clallam County medic crew on board from Coast Guard Air Station/Sector Field Office Port Angeles on Ediz Hook arrived at about 11:30 p.m.
The Coast Guard cutter Sea Lion, based in Bellingham, transported a rescue swimmer and the medics to the Beth, Littlejohn said, and they prepared the injured man for transport by boat to the Coast Guard station on Ediz Hook.
From there, he was taken to OMC in Port Angeles.
The Coast Guard did not release the name of the injured man.
A 40-foot recreational vessel named Beth is registered to Windward Holdings LLC, according to state boater registration records.
The sole governing person for Windward Holdings LLC is Mark Gillis of Utah.
An OMC representative said a Mark Gillis had been treated and discharged Wednesday morning.
The Coast Guard towed the Beth to Port Angeles City Pier.
Crews are investigating the cause of the man’s injuries.
“They’re in that process now, trying to make the determination,” Littlejohn said.
About 25 rescue personnel responded to the Tuesday evening distress call, Littlejohn said.
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Reporter Jeremy Schwartz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5074, or at jschwartz@peninsuladailynews.com.
