73-year-old man spent night adrift as boat began sinking 155 miles off North Carolina

A 73-year-old man found himself in a dire predicament Sunday, Jan. 22, when his sailboat began sinking in the dark 155 miles off North Carolina.

He was rescued Monday, after spending a perilous night in rough seas off Cape Fear, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The cape is along the southeastern part of the coast.

“Watchstanders received a report of the 73-year-old man aboard the 33-foot sailing vessel Freyja Sunday night and reported that due to heavy weather his vessel was taking on water,” the Coast Guard said in a news release.

“A Coast Guard ... helicopter crew and an HC-130 Hercules crew launched and hoisted the mariner from the vessel ... Monday afternoon.”

The boater, who was not injured, was taken to the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station in Wilmington, North Carolina, officials said.

Coast Guard officials did not release his identity or provide details of what became of his sailboat.

Waters off North Carolina are notoriously treacherous, as the point where the warm northbound Gulf Stream and cold southbound Labrador Current collide.

On Saturday, Jan. 21, the Coast Guard shared video on Facebook showing 6- to 8-foot waves were breaking as crews tried to help sailing vessels through Oregon Inlet along the Outer Banks.

This story was originally published January 24, 2023 at 8:42 AM with the headline "73-year-old man spent night adrift as boat began sinking 155 miles off North Carolina."