Hatteras Island Rescue Squad Locates and Rescues a Missing Windsurfer

The Hatteras Island Rescue Squad (HIRS) was dispatched to locate a missing windsurfer in the Pamlico Sound on Monday evening, November 26, near the Haulover / Canadian Hole area in between Avon and Buxton.

The call from a concerned family member came in at 4:30 p.m., and National Park Service Law Enforcement Rangers also responded to the incident.

The Hatteras Island Rescue Squad skiff was launched, and the responders located the windsurfer in the sound, approximately one mile from shore.

“He had problems with his equipment and had to disconnect from his sail, and then he had to paddle back to shore on his board,” said HIRS Chief Jack Scarborough. “He said he had been paddling for two hours when we found him.”

Per Chief Scarborough, the sun had just set when the skiff was dispatched, and fog had started to settle in, but the man was located and rescued before it became dark. The windsurfer was then returned to his family at the soundside Haulover beach. Dare County EMTs responded to the incident, but were not needed, as there were no injuries reported.