A sailor in a 28-foot sailboat heading out of the Kennebec River ran aground Thursday night near Hunnewell Beach in Phippsburg.

Coast Guard personnel responded to the scene, but the outgoing tide prevented them from getting close to the sailboat, according to Ken Stuart, a command duty officer.

A towboat from Bath was called to the scene, but it, too, was unable to approach the boat.

At 2 a.m. Friday, the sailboat refloated on the incoming tide but dragged its anchor and was pushed toward the beach.

The towboat attempted to pull the sailboat away from land, but it stalled in the shallow water and both boats came aground near the beach.

The skipper of the towboat and the sailor were able to get into a dinghy and make it to shore by following the lights and sound of a Phippsburg Fire Department crew.

No one was injured, but both boats are damaged.


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