Cargo ship rescues sailors off North Carolina’s coast

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — The crew of a cargo ship is being credited with rescuing two sailors who were caught in rough seas hundreds of miles off North Carolina’s coast.

The Raleigh News & Observer reports that the rescue occurred Saturday about 345 miles east of Hatteras Inlet on the Outer Banks.

A sailboat caught in rough weather 345 miles from North Carolina is assisted by the crew of the KSL Santiago as seen from a Coast Guard C-130 Hercules aircraft from Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., Dec. 5, 2020. (Photo: U.S. Coast Guard)

The U.S. Coast Guard said that rough seas had disabled the boat’s sails and engine and stranded the two sailors in severe weather.

The Coast Guard launched an aircrew and broadcast an emergency alert to other vessels.

A 958-foot cargo ship, the KSL Santiago, was nearby and rescued the sailors.