Two brothers had to be rescued on Lake Ontario after their sailboat struck a sandbar near Port Hope on Tuesday afternoon.
The duo were sailing the new 24-foot vessel from Whitby to Cobourg as part of a three-day trip. However, the vessel ran out of fuel and veered into a sandbar as a result of waves and wind.
The collision broke the rudder.
The vessel then drifted into an east breakwall near Port Hope’s harbour.
The brothers called for help and the Port Hope Fire Department, police and paramedics arrived on scene. The Canadian Coast Guard vessel in Cobourg was also contacted but was unable to reach the sailboat because the bay was too shallow for the rescue ship.
As a result, members of 424 Search and Rescue Squadron from Canadian Forces Base Trenton were called. A helicopter lowered two SARTECS (search and rescue technicians) who helped the brothers off the boat and onto shore. They were not injured.
The boat sustained significant damage from continuous bashing against the rocks.