PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Coast Guard rescued a struggling swimmer Saturday off Cape Charles.Watchstanders at Coast Guard Station Cape Charles received a call at approximately 6:55 p.m. from a good Samaritan on Cape Charles Beach reporting a swimmer struggling against the outgoing tide in windy conditions, approximately 100 yards from shore.A 25-foot Response Boat-Small crew launched from Station Cape Charles at approximately 6:58 p.m. The crew arrived on scene at approximately 7 p.m., and located the male swimmer drifting toward the rocks of the Cape Charles jetty. They brought him aboard at approximately 7:04 p.m., and took him to Cape Charles Harbor boat ramp, arriving at 7:14 p.m.
No injuries were reported and the man declined medical treatment.“Our response time was especially fast this evening,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew Barker, boat operator for the case. “Luckily we got to him before he became overly exhausted.”