Kingfisher sent to rescue sinking sailboat

Historic City News has confirmed with a Coast Guard spokesperson in Jacksonville that a crew aboard the Mayport based USCG Cutter Kingfisher is trying to save a sinking sailboat — almost nine miles southeast of St. Augustine.

Kingfisher completes an average of 15 search and rescue cases per year — they can be as urgent as this where a vessel is taking on water, or there is a missing swimmer or diver, a vessel on fire, or, a downed aircraft; or, they may be as routine as a disabled vessel.

This is the second call for assistance from the sailboat that is in route from North Carolina to Deerfield Beach. The first call came in when the sailboat ran aground last night about 11:30 p.m.

The sailboat crew indicated to officials that they were no longer aground and “were on their way”, however, a few hours later, the Coast Guard learned the vessel was taking on water.

A pump that helped the crew clear water from the sailboat was dispatched by helicopter from Savannah last night and a Florida Fish and Wildlife boat is on the scene to aid the sailboat crew.

Kingfisher’s primary missions are the enforcement of laws and treaties and search and rescue in the area from St. Mary’s River at the Florida-George border to just south of Cape Canaveral. When the sailboat is safe, Kingfisher will tow it back to St. Augustine.

According to reports, the sailboat accidentally made it out into the ocean from the Intracoastal Waterway.