The Coast Guard helped rescue multiple University of South Florida St. Petersburg sailboats that ran aground in Bayboro Harbor on Thursday, officials said.
Personnel ashore at Coast Guard Station St. Petersburg saw the small boats capsizing or running aground due to high wind conditions and rushed to aid them, according to a prepared statement emailed to Navy Times.
“Winds around 25 miles-per-hour struck the harbor while the sailing class was in session,” said Senior Chief Petty Officer Timothy Abrams, the officer-in-charge of Station St. Petersburg.
“Most of the student boats returned to campus with the assistance of the instructor vessel. The capsized sail boat was re-righted and towed back to the campus docks.”
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The Coast Guard launched a 29- foot Response Boat- small crew to fish two students from the water and placed a pair of their sailing vessels in tow to keep them from hitting the rocks.
After their sailboats had been safely moored, the crew transferred the students to the campus docks, officials said.
