Strong Winds Cause High School Sailboats To Capsize In Hyannis

HYANNIS (CBS) - A quick moving squall created some chaos on the water for the St. John Paul II High School sailing team Friday afternoon.

Six sailors team members were assisted to shore when strong winds tipped their sailboats over in Hyannis Harbor during practice.

Three boats that capsized are back on shore, after the teens fell into the frigid ocean. No injuries were reported.

Freshmen Brennan Loewen said the afternoon started off calm before the storm moved in. He witnessed his fellow teammates, and their boats, go down.

"It was very sudden. We didn't really have a lot of time to change anything on the boats so they kind of all just tipped over within 30 seconds of each other," said Brennan.

The students were in full dry suits. Some were picked up right away by the coach's chase boat, while others made it to shore on their own with a boat through the chest-deep water.

"After the two boats tipped over we were trying to get them back up so they could sail in but none of them were succeeding so we had to tow one of them in and the fire boat got the other one in," Brennan said.

The conditions were still rough as the Hyannis Fire Department arrived to check the sailors for hypothermia, as another crew on the water helped secure one of the boats.

Hyannis Fire Chief Peter Burke said the sailors are all back home safe.

"A little bit cold but there fine," Burke said.