Credit: U.S. Coast Guard

Two sailors headed from Honolulu to Unalaska were rescued just 20 miles south of town late Sunday night. Petty Officer David Moseley says the British nationals first made contact with the Coast Guard on Friday, when the rudder on their sailboat broke.

“They weren’t expecting and they weren’t requesting Coast Guard assistance, but they let us know there was an issue so we could keep tabs of what was going on.”

Moseley says on Sunday the duo realized they weren’t going to make into port on their own.

“They had about three days worth of food left and were actually being pushed away from land, so they put out a radio call for help and the Coast Guard cutter Alex Haley, who was on patrol near Dutch Harbor, heard that call and was able to respond - go out to pick up the two guys off the vessel and then tow the vessel back to Dutch Harbor.”

The boats are expected to arrive sometime this evening. Moseley says there are no reported injuries or damage to the vessel other than the rudder.