Two boaters are safe after their emergency distress call was answered by the U.S. Coast Guard off Vancouver Island.
The mayday call came from a beach near Tsusiat Falls on the rugged west side of the island Sunday afternoon.
The boaters were taking on water in surf conditions and appeared to be suffering from hypothermia, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Sector Field Office Port Angeles arrived on scene at 3:13 p.m. Sunday.
The helicopter rescue team hoisted the two stranded boaters from the beach to Neah Bay on the northwest tip of the Olympic Peninsula.
The pair were then transferred to a Canadian helicopter team in Neah Bay.
While the mayday call was made from Canadian waters, the aircrew from Port Angeles was the closest asset that was able to conduct the rescue, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
