Two boaters were pulled from the cold waters off Edmonds on Saturday morning after falling from a sailboat during a regatta, officials said.
The ferry Suquamish diverted from its route to assist in the rescue, with passengers witnessing the dramatic efforts to bring the man and woman to safety.
According to Washington State Ferries, the Suquamish was traveling the Edmonds-Kingston route when it received the distress call around 11:10 a.m.
The ferry changed course toward Possession Point, where a sailboat, the Lodos, was attempting to reach the stranded boaters.
Video taken from the ferry shows the Lodos carefully maneuvering closer to the two people in the water. As the crew reached out to pull them aboard, ferry passengers watched anxiously. When the boaters were finally lifted to safety, cheers erupted from those on board the ferry.
The U.S. Coast Guard said the man and woman fell from their sailboat while participating in a regatta and were showing signs of hypothermia when they were rescued.
Water temperatures in the area were in the mid-40s, making the quick response critical to their survival.
“The key factor in this rescue was that both individuals were wearing life jackets,” the Coast Guard stated.
Emergency radio calls from the Coast Guard captured the urgency of the situation as rescue teams coordinated efforts.
The Suquamish resumed its route after ensuring the boaters were safe.
Authorities have not released additional details about the incident, but officials emphasize that life jackets played a crucial role in preventing a tragedy.
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