PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Coast Guard rescued four people from a disabled sailing vessel Monday.
They say it was about two miles east of Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.
Officials received a notification around 2 a.m. from a good Samaritan that the 48-foot sailboat Irish Tango was sailing erratically and impeding oncoming traffic in Thimble Shoal Channel, which is two miles east of Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.
They say the sailing vessel then proceeded to cross back and forth across the bow of a container ship. The passengers did not respond to communication attempts made by the Coast Guard, Virginia pilots, or the container ship.
Crews responded and towed the Irish Tango to Little Creek. The boat had been on the sea for the last 48 hours with an inoperable autopilot system and was set off track due to weather.
“This crew was lucky,” said Petty Officer 1st class Michael Anderson, Station Little Creek coxswain on duty. “Fatigue can be just as dangerous as any storm or hazard to navigation. On the water things don’t often go like you planned, so always have a back-up plan.”
The Irish Tango and its crew were taken to Cobbs Marina where they were examined by EMS with no reported injuries.
