Sailors missing in Alabama after storm hits regatta
MOBILE, Ala. - Coast Guard officials say two bodies have been found in Alabama waters after a powerful storm capsized several sailboats participating in a regatta near Mobile Bay.
Authorities at a press conference Sunday said crews still are searching for five people believed missing. They say not all the missing people were participating in the Dauphin Island regatta, which included more than 100 sailboats and as many as 200 people.
Major Steve Thompson with the Alabama Department of Public Safety's Marine Patrol Division says one person was found dead Saturday and a second was found Sunday morning.
CBS News correspondent Jericka Duncan reports some survivors reported seeing boats sink so fast there was no time to grab life preservers.
Coast Guard Capt. Duke Walker says crews are using boats and airplanes to search vast portions of the bay, including the center and areas close to Dauphin Island where family members have gathered.
The storm rolled through the area about 4 p.m. Saturday and a man was plucked from the waters by the Coast Guard around 9 p.m., Petty officer Carlos Vega said. He said crews would continue searching through later Sunday morning, when they would reassess their strategy.
Vega said the Coast Guard also has established a temporary public information line in order to determine whether any additional people are missing. Anyone with information is asked to call 251-441-6602 or 251-441-6920.
Dauphin Island Mayor Jeff Collier told Al.com that at least one person was confirmed dead, but he did not know the cause.
"It's been a very tragic day," Michael Smith, with the Buccaneer yacht club, told WSFA-TV. "We've had a lot of breakage, missing people, fatalities."
Susan Kangal, who was on a boat, told WSFA it was the worst storm that she has seen.
"We were probably an inch from capsizing; everybody was ready to jump. I didn't have a life jacket on," she said.
The boats were part of the 57th iteration of the race.
"Apparently there were a number of vessels that became distressed, either capsized or what have you," the mayor said. "They were scattered anywhere from Dauphin Island Bridge all the way out into Mobile Bay and across to Fort Morgan. It was a wide area."
Randy Rutledge told CBS affiliate WKRG in Mobile that he and his wife were in the water for two hours before they were finally spotted and rescued.
"I said, 'Jesus calm the waters.' And the storm subsided just enough that I could keep my head up and not drink too much salt water but I had no choice but to hang on to that cushion because I had to find her," Rutledge said.