A Canadian woman tragically lost her life after her sailboat ran aground in stormy waters near the San Juan Islands. The U.S. Coast Guard rescued both boaters, but the woman succumbed to her injuries at St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident.
One Canadian boater has died after the sailboat they were in ran aground in stormy waters near the San Juan Islands east of Greater Victoria, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The incident occurred around 7 p.m. on Monday, February 3, 2025, when the Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound watchstanders received a mayday call via VHF radio from the sailboat's captain. The captain reported that the 31-foot vessel was disabled and drifting toward land.
The weather conditions at the time were reported as snowy with winds ranging from 40 to 48 kilometers per hour (25 to 30 miles per hour) and waves measuring four to six feet high. A rescue boat crew from Station Bellingham and a helicopter from Air Station Port Angeles were dispatched to locate the boaters and the vessel. As Coast Guard crews were attempting the rescue, the sailboat ran aground. After the mast of the vessel collapsed, the aircrew was able to lower a rescue swimmer to reach the individuals. The swimmer located the 56-year-old Canadian man and he was subsequently hoisted to the rescue boat. Meanwhile, helicopter crews located the Canadian woman in the water and guided the boat crew to her location. She was then hoisted from the boat to the helicopter and flown to St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham, where she was pronounced deceased by hospital personnel. The man was taken by the boat crew to Station Bellingham and then transported to paramedics who took him to St. Joseph hospital. A Coast Guard member who sustained injuries during the rescue was also transported to the hospital but was later released. Petty Officer Steve Strohmaier of the U.S. Coast Guard told CHEK News that an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the boat running aground. It could have been a mechanical failure or the weather, but the exact cause is yet to be determined. Strohmaier added that crews haven't observed an increase in such incidents despite the recent intense weather, which has included snow squalls, rain, and strong winds. He stated that while the weather conditions have been challenging, many boaters in the area are experienced and prepared to handle such situations
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