The captain of a sailboat has his yellow lifejacket to thank for saving his life, after going overboard near Cortes Island.
After a 42-foot sailboat was found on the rocks on Cortes Island Monday afternoon, the Joint Rescue Coordination entre in Victoria issued a mayday.
Two aircraft and four vessels were sent to the area, including a Cormorant helicopter and Hercules airplane, and the Coast Guard’s Cape Palmerston, Cape Caution, Westview 1, and rescue boat 509 Cortes Bay.
After an extensive search they located a man in a yellow lifejacket floating in the waters between Cortes and Hernando Islands. He had been in the water for nearly 5 hours and had severe hypothermia. Coast Guard crew performed first aid and took him to hospital.
The Coast Guard says without the yellow lifejacket, it’s unlikely they would have been able to spot him and save his life.
They add it’s a good reminder to everyone in the boating community to have the proper safety equipment on board your vessel and most importantly, think of it like a seat belt: it’s important to wear even if you’re just travelling a few minutes down the coast.
