Good samaritans rescue 2 teens after their sailboat overturns in Bellingham Bay
Two teenagers were rescued in Bellingham Bay this weekend after their sailboat overturned, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Good samaritans initially picked the pair up after their 16-foot, red sailboat flipped.
A Coast Guard crew responded to the incident and brought the teenagers aboard. The team helped flip the sailboat back over, remove the water and tow it back to the boat launch.
The two teenagers were wearing lifejackets, which likely kept them from sustaining any injuries, the Coast Guard said in a social media post about the incident.
“All in all, the unfortunate events took a turn for the better and the station was able to help these 2 out,” Bellingham’s U.S. Coast Guard Station wrote in the post.
The teens were not identified.
The post also warns about the dangers of cold water exposure as hypothermia is a risk at all times of the year.
Cold water drains body heat up to four times faster than cold air and hypothermia can become a risk if exposure lasts too long. “Cold shock” can cause dramatic changes in breathing, heart rate and blood pressure, according to the National Weather Service.
