PORT ANGELES, Wash. — Four people were rescued after their sailing vessels capsized in the Strait of Juan De Fuca Monday morning.
Multiple United States Coast Guard (USCG) crews and a few good Samaritans helped pull the boaters from the water.
A call came in around 7 a.m. that sailors had capsized during a race to Alaska event around 7:30 a.m., according to USCG Pacific Northwest. The group left Port Townsend around 5 a.m. and were headed to Victoria, British Columbia.
A USCG small rescue boat and a helicopter responded. The USCG pulled three boaters from the water and a standby safety boat rescued a fourth person. All four were taken to the hospital after showing signs of hypothermia.
A Gale Warning was in effect for the area the boaters capsized in, according to the USCG. That means sustained surface winds, or frequent gusts between 34 knots to 47 knots, or between 39 to 54 miles per hour.
A Small Craft Advisory was also in place for the Strait and Puget Sound, according to the National Weather Service. This advisory means wind speeds of 21-33 knots and/or seas 10 feet or higher are "expected to produce hazardous wave conditions" to smaller vessels. Inexperienced mariners should avoid navigating the waters in these conditions.
The Coast Guard said it would work with partners to monitor future racing events.
Jake Beattie, the creator of the race and executive director of the Northwest Maritime Center, said the first phase of the race from Port Townsend to Victoria, B.C. is considered the "proving ground." When it comes down to it, it's the responsibility for the people on board to make the best decisions for themselves, he said.
But the race isn't without safety precautions. Each boat has a tracker that's updated in real time. Every team also has either an emergency position indicating radio beacon or a personal locator beacon, according to Beattie.
Coast Guard Petty Officer Steve Strohmaier said the people they rescued were "very prepared" for the conditions, wearing dry suits, lifejackets, and were each equipped with locator beacons.
"The only thing injured was some egos, really," Beattie said.