Family Rescued After Sailboat Hits Sandbar
Language Barrier Slowed Rescue
POSTED: Thursday, April 30, 2009
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- A family of three had to be rescue after their 30-foot sailboat got stuck on a sandbar while coming in to the St. Augustine inlet before dawn Thursday.
Officials said a broken rudder prevented the boat from avoiding the sandbar and it ran aground about 4 a.m. in the inlet just off Vilano Beach.
Two adults, a 11-year-old boy and a Chihuahua were rescued off the boat by St. Augustine Police Department's marine rescue unit.
Police said the family was from Hungary and there was a language barrier, but the boy spoke some English an officer was able to translate enough to rescue the family.
They were cold and wet when they were brought into the marina, but no injuries were reported.
Officers said the water was rough at the time and navigating around the sandbars can be tough even with a working rudder.
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