Bodies Recovered After Sudden Storm Capsizes Racing Sailing Boats
MOBILE BAY, Ala., April 26 (UPI) — Bodies have been recovered in Mobile Bay, Ala., as the U.S. Coast Guard continues to search for missing sailors after a sudden storm caused boats to capsize during a race.
The exact number of bodies recovered Sunday is not known. The Coast Guardpreviously announced that four sailors were missing.
The thunderstorm with winds of about 80 miles per hour came in at about 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, causing boats to capsize in a race that was part of the Dauphin Island Sailing Regatta. One person was previously confirmed dead.
About 150 boats usually participate in the event, but the exact number at the Saturday event is not known. Sailing masts broke and boats capsized, throwing several people into the water as other racers attempted to rescue.
“The wind picked up super, super fast when the storm was coming through,” Connor Gaston, who participated in the event, said. “It was the most wind I have seen in my life.”
Gaston’s boat did not capsize, but his uncle’s did.
“He was only a half mile ahead of us, but we couldn’t see him when he went over because it was raining so hard,” Gaston said. His uncle was rescued.
The Coast Guard has deployed two 87-foot patrol boats, four 45-foot response boats, three helicopters and a surveillance plane.
