SOUTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA — The Coast Guard rescued two people stranded after their vessel ran aground near Shallotte on Saturday night during Hurricane Matthew.
Sector North Carolina watchstanders received a report of two people stranded on a marshy island in the Lockwood Folly River at about Saturday, according to a notice from the U.S. Coast Guard on Sunday. The fishing vessel Kokopia was aground and listing in the river. Two people aboard the vessel were stranded in the marsh.
A MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew launched from Air Station Savannah in Savannah, Georgia, launched at 10 p.m. Saturday and arrived on scene at approximately midnight. The air crew hoisted the crew and transferred them to Myrtle Beach International Airport.
The fishing vessel remained aground Sunday with 300 gallons of diesel fuel aboard. There were no injuries or pollution reported in the incident.
“Sector North Carolina wants to express appreciation to crews outside of North Carolina that assisted with rescue effort and the quick thinking of Master Chief Cannon to assess the danger due to local weather to local assets while still managing a prompt rescue effort,” Chief Petty Officer Jeremy V. Thomas said.
