HOOD CANAL — A couple was rescued from their eight- to 10-foot vessel in Hood Canal after they were unable to maneuver due to strong currents and 35- to 40-knot winds, a U.S. Coast Guard public affairs specialist said.
The couple — a 25-year-old woman and a 23-year-old man — reported no major medical concerns after their rescue Sunday evening and were taken to meet family members in Bremerton, Coast Guard Public Affairs Specialist Steven Strohmaier said Monday morning.
The Coast Guard received a report at 6:18 p.m. Sunday from a couple who had been struggling for two hours to maneuver their vessel, according to a press release from U.S. Coast Guard Thirteenth District Public Affairs.
A 45-foot Response Boat-Medium Boat was dispatched from Coast Guard Station Seattle and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter was dispatched from Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles.
The aircrew arrived on scene at 7:45 p.m., deployed a rescue swimmer and hoisted both people into the helicopter, the release stated.
“What were they doing out there? I wish I could tell you. Just going out for a stroll? It didn’t seem like the ideal day to do that,” Strohmaier said.
The Coast Guard was alerted by the sister of the woman, who received a call and then called 9-1-1 and told them the couple were cold and tired and having difficulties in the water, Strohmaier said.
It was unclear whether it was a rowboat or other type of vessel, Strohmaier said. When the helicopter approached, it initially was described as a canoe, he said.
He didn’t know how high above the water the helicopter had to hover in the dark, Strohmaier said.
“Hopefully they had room,” he said. “You don’t want to get too close to the vessel or you can get, rotor wash or begin pushing the vessel away. Although you want to move forward when doing the hoist.”
The first hoist was done with a basket and the second was a strop-augmented hoist, he said.
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Reporter Brian Gawley can be reached at brian.gawley@soundpublishing.com.
