Woman survives ordeal at sea
Last updated Jul 13 2005 03:23 PM PDT
CBC News
– A 40-year-old woman who disappeared off a sailboat after it ran aground off the mouth of the Fraser River early Wednesday morning has been found tired but alive.
A massive air and sea search was launched in the Sandheads area near Steveston, where she went overboard.
RELATED STORY: Woman missing after sailboat accident
But she was found 17 kilometres away, on the other side of Georgia Strait – just off Galiano Island – by another sailboat not involved in the search.
Canadian Forces spokesperson Gerry Pash says a navy helicopter was dispatched to the scene, where the woman had just been pulled from the water.
He says two search and rescue technicians were dropped to the sailboat to provide assistance to the woman who they found resting comfortably.
They decided she was well enough to send by hovercraft ashore. Once she was back on dry land, an ambulance delivered her to Richmond General Hospital, where she is being treated for mild hypothermia.
"She came in to Richmond Hospital in the early afternoon in what's being described as stable condition. She's quite alert," says hospital spokesperson Clay Adams.
It's expected she will be released from hospital later in the day.
It's estimated the woman swam for about nine hours hours, without a life jacket.
"There have been cases where people have survived for a long period of time," says Pash.
"The fact that it's summertime, and the mouth of the Fraser River can be a little warmer helps a little bit. But she is a very, very, very, very, very lucky woman."
No names have been released.
I cannot believe she survived that 8O 8O 8O
Last updated Jul 13 2005 03:23 PM PDT
CBC News
– A 40-year-old woman who disappeared off a sailboat after it ran aground off the mouth of the Fraser River early Wednesday morning has been found tired but alive.
A massive air and sea search was launched in the Sandheads area near Steveston, where she went overboard.
RELATED STORY: Woman missing after sailboat accident
But she was found 17 kilometres away, on the other side of Georgia Strait – just off Galiano Island – by another sailboat not involved in the search.
Canadian Forces spokesperson Gerry Pash says a navy helicopter was dispatched to the scene, where the woman had just been pulled from the water.
He says two search and rescue technicians were dropped to the sailboat to provide assistance to the woman who they found resting comfortably.
They decided she was well enough to send by hovercraft ashore. Once she was back on dry land, an ambulance delivered her to Richmond General Hospital, where she is being treated for mild hypothermia.
"She came in to Richmond Hospital in the early afternoon in what's being described as stable condition. She's quite alert," says hospital spokesperson Clay Adams.
It's expected she will be released from hospital later in the day.
It's estimated the woman swam for about nine hours hours, without a life jacket.
"There have been cases where people have survived for a long period of time," says Pash.
"The fact that it's summertime, and the mouth of the Fraser River can be a little warmer helps a little bit. But she is a very, very, very, very, very lucky woman."
No names have been released.
I cannot believe she survived that 8O 8O 8O
