On Monday, August 6, 2018 at approximately 4 a.m., the Coast Guard vessel Cape Rescue was dispatched to search for a 29-foot sailing vessel that had run aground with one person on board along with a dog.
The location was unknown, but radio direction finding led the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Trenton and a US Rescue Centre who was assisting with the case to believe the vessel was near the south shore of Prince Edward County.
At 5:54 a.m., as the Cape Rescue arrived to commence the search off Salmon Point, a C-130 Hercules located the sailing vessel and provided the Cape Rescue with coordinates which were east of Point Petre.
The Cape Rescue arrived on scene at 6:21 a.m., and along with the Coast Guard Auxiliary vessel Wellington Rescue.
The sailing vessel was up on a shallow rocky shoal, resting on her side with waves breaking around it.
Rescue vessels were unable to get close enough due to the shallow water, and the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre dispatched a Griffon helicopter along with Search and Rescue technicians to extract the man and his dog.
The helicopter arrived and lowered two SARTECS into the water who walked and the man and his dog safely back to shore where the helicopter landed and picked them up and safely transferred them to an area by Point Petre. Arrangements are planned to be made with a commercial salvage to attend to the sailing vessel.
The Canadian Coast Guard crew stationed in Kingston (CCCS Cape Hearne) were also involved in the search and rescue.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
