Coast Guard crew rescues man trapped on sinking boat off Georgia coast

SAPELO ISLAND, Ga. - The Coast Guard has rescued an injured man whose sailboat began to sink off the Georgia coast this week.

On Wednesday afternoon, Coast Guard Sector Charleston watchstanders received a report from a sailor on a 36-foot sailboat. The man told them his vehicle had run aground near the Sapelo Sound and was taking on water.

After issuing an urgent broadcast, a Coast Guard Station Brunswick boat crew and Coast Guard Air Station Savannah helicopter crew sped off to the rescue.

According to officials, when the man was working with commercial salvage to tow the boat away, he suffered a severe injury while trying to recover the boat's anchor.

The Coast Guard helicopter medevacced the man to a Savannah hospital. His condition is unknown at this time.

The sailboat was towed to a marina in Valona, Georgia.