The Coast Guard rescued a windsurfer Wednesday near the Point Judith Harbor of Refuge.
At approximately 3:20 p.m., watchstanders at Sector Southeastern New England’s command center received a call from a windsurfer who stated his windsurfing partner became stranded on rocks near the Point Judith Harbor of Refuge after her surfboard failed.
The watchstanders issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast and launched a 45-foot response boat crew from Coast Guard Station Point Judith.
When the Station Point Judith crew arrived on scene, they were unable to get close enough for the windsurfer to safely make it aboard the response boat. A Coast Guard boat crewman then entered the water, swam to the stranded windsurfer, and safely brought her back to the Coast Guard boat.
“Once we got on scene, we knew we had to act fast because she was most likely hypothermic,” said Petty Officer Christopher DiGiovanni, coxswain of the response boat. “We had about 15 yards between the bow and the jetty to send a surface swimmer out to safely assist her from the rocks. With our knowledge, experience, and training we were able to get her safely to our boat and transfer her care to emergency services personnel waiting on shore.”
The woman is reported to be in good condition.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Andres Rios, a surface swimmer from Coast Guard Station Point Judith, in Rhode Island, swims to a windsurfer Wednesday, November 16, 2016 after she became stranded on rocks near The Point Judith Harbor of Refuge. Rios, who deployed from a 45-foot response boat, helped the windsurfer aboard the Coast Guard boat so she could be safely transferred to shore. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Dannion Hollar)
