The Coast Guard assisted three people aboard a sailboat that was taking on water in the Pasquotank River near Elizabeth City on Saturday.
A member aboard the 32-foot sailboat Grace contacted Coast Guard Sector North Carolina watchstanders at approximately 2:45 p.m. reporting their boat hit a submerged piling, was taking on water and had 14 inches of water in the boat.
Sector North Carolina watchstanders dispatched a crew aboard a 25-foot Response Boat from Coast Guard Station Elizabeth City to assist. Once on scene, the crew transferred three people to the sailboat and attempted to dewater the vessel.
The dewatering efforts were determined to be unsuccessful, so the boat crew removed the three people from the boat and took them to Lambs Marina in Camden, N.C.
Tow Boat U.S. is scheduled to salvage the boat.
The sailboat is not blocking the channel and there are no reports of pollution.
