[Rhodes22-list] 1 dead, 2 rescued from sinking sailboat off NJ

[MichaelT]

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — One person was killed and three others injured,
including a U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer, when a 44-foot sailboat began
sinking early Wednesday in rough seas off the New Jersey coast about 100
miles southeast of Atlantic City.

Phil Rubright, 65, of Detroit, Mich., was pronounced dead by the Atlantic
County medical examiner. Rescued were Teresa Garvie, 44, and Kevin Hogan,
52, both of Mount Pleasant, S.C.

The three were aboard the sailing vessel Freefall when it sent a distress
signal around 7:15 p.m. Tuesday.
A Coast Guard plane and helicopter were launched from Coast Guard Air
Station Elizabeth City, N.C.
The rescue crews located the stricken vessel shortly after 1 a.m., but were
unable to hoist the passengers from the craft due to extreme weather
conditions, including rain, high winds and 40-50 foot seas, the Coast Guard
said.

A rescue swimmer entered the water and attempted to place Rubright into a
rescue basket, but a large wave damaged the basket and hoist cable.

The helicopter crew then deployed a life raft and Rubright was placed in it.
Another large wave hit the raft, injuring the rescue swimmer and tossing
Rubright from the raft, the Coast Guard said. The injured swimmer was unable
to recover Rubright.

The helicopter crew deployed an emergency recovery device to hoist the
rescue swimmer from the water, called for assistance and flew to Atlantic
City to seek treatment for him. The injured swimmer, whose name was not
released, was treated and released, the Coast Guard said.

Additional helicopters were then launched from Air Station Atlantic City and
Cape Cod, Mass., along with three Coast Guard cutters.

The Cape Cod helicopter crew recovered Rubright from the water and flew him
to Atlantic City, where he was pronounced dead by the Atlantic County
medical examiner.

A second helicopter crew from Elizabeth City hoisted the surviving
passengers from the boat shortly before 8 a.m. and flew them to AtlantiCare
Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City, where they were treated for mild
hypothermia, the Coast Guard said.

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