Virginia Couple Lost at Sea Now Safe

A Virginia Beach couple, both 65 years old, was reported missing at sea on June 17. They had first set sail on June 8 from Old Comfort Point Marina in Hampton, Virginia and were en route to the Azores, an archipelago off the coast of Portugal.

Yanni Nikopoulos and Dale Jones were on their way to the Azores, where they would then travel to Greece, when their sailboat got caught in a storm.

Just five days and about 460 miles into their journey their boat was struck by lightning, prompting them to turn around and come home.

Jones’ daughter first contacted the Coast Guard to inform them that she had not heard from her mother since June 13th, when they communicated that they had been struck by lightning.

The couple was unharmed by the lighting but had to rig a spare sail to their vessel—named Kyklades—according to the Coast Guard. They had plans to head back to Hampton, V.A. and were about 80 miles east of Chincoteague when they were finally located.

“The overdue boaters, Yanni Nikopoulos and Dale Jones, contacted watchstanders in the Coast Guard Sector Virginia command center to inform them of their safety and are now en route to Hampton,” the U.S. Coast Guard said in a news release.

The couple did not request help from the Coast Guard who then informed Jones’ daughter of their status.

“We are extremely happy to learn Yanni and Dale are found and are safe," said James Cifers, operations unit watchstander in the Fifth District Command Center, in a statement. "It is truly wonderful the pair will be reunited with their friends and family soon.”