Overdue boater found injured near Swan Quarter

A boater reported missing early Saturday was found injured after running aground near Swan Quarter, the Coast Guard reported.

The 48-year-old man’s family contacted the Coast Guard at about 1:45 a.m. after he failed to return as expected by 10 p.m. Friday.

A boat from Hobucken and a helicopter from Elizabeth City were sent to search along the Pungo River, the Coast Guard said in a statement.

The Jayhawk helicopter crew found the 23-foot boat aground at about 6 a.m. and medevaced the man, who reportedly suffered from a laceration and a leg injury.

He was flown to Vidant Beaufort Hospital in Washington, N.C.

“The family was able to relay the man’s approximate location to the Coast Guard,” said Chief Petty Officer Delain Tate, the operations unit controller at Sector North Carolina. “This allowed us to narrow our search area and locate the man in a timely manner.”