Relentless wind pushes boat and 4 passengers onto Outer Banks beach when engine quits

A 28-foot fishing boat lost power off the Outer Banks, and high winds took four passengers on a wild ride that ended with the vessel running aground at Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

It happened “in the early evening hours” of Sunday, June 18, northeast of Hatteras Village, according to the National Park Service.

“It can happen to even the most experienced captain,” the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum wrote on Facebook.

“The Carol-Ina lost power (Sunday) afternoon about 150 meters past the breakers. Her captain dropped anchor, but with the uptake in wind and wave height, the anchor wasn’t enough to keep her from washing ashore.”

Photos show the Buxton-based fishing boat adrift parallel to the beach when it hit land and began being pounded by crashing waves.

“There were no reported injuries to the four people who were on board the vessel when it came to shore,” the National Park Service reported.

The park reported the boat was pulled above the tide line with an excavator, then removed June 21 when a crane lifted it onto the back of a truck on NC 12. The northbound lane was closed for two hours during the operation.

North Carolina’s Outer Banks are notorious for hosting a treacherous combination of winds and strong currents that can ground or sink helpless boats. The northbound Gulf Stream and southbound Labrador Current collide off North Carolina, creating shoals that can trap vessels in shallow sand.

This story was originally published June 20, 2023 at 7:23 AM.