Two German nationals rescued from disabled sailboat off coast of Chincoteague

Two boaters were reportedly rescued by the US Coast Guard on Tuesday, off the coast of Chincoteague.

The Coast Guard says on Tuesday, they rescued two German nationals, both in their fifties, from the distressed sailboat Irene, about 90 miles east of Chincoteague. Officials say it all started when the Coast Guard 5th District Command Center in Portsmouth received a fax around 4:00 PM on Monday, from Maritime Rescue Coordination Center Bremen in Germany saying that the Irene needed assistance.

The Command Center then was able to get in touch with the owner of the boat, through an iridium phone, who said that the Irene had lost its mast and was low on fuel. Watchstanders were then apparently able to divert the Coast Guard Cutter Shearwater to the Irene, and arrived on scene around 1:30 AM Tuesday. Officials say the Shearwater wasn’t able to get a towline to the disabled sailboat, because of the boat’s condition, and other outside environmental factors.

At sunrise, Officials say the two men were able to get into a life raft, and were then picked up by the Shearwater’s crew around 7:30 AM. The Shearwater then apparently made its way to Coast Guard Station Little Creek, where they were met by Customs and Border Patrol agents who helped the two men catch a flight back to Germany, from Norfolk International Airport.