Crews Respond to Capsized Boat Near Oak Island

Published on May 18, 2026

Crews Respond to Capsized Boat Near Oak Island

Four Adults & One Dog Rescued from Lockwoods Folly Inlet

UPDATE (May 19, 2026): The boat has been successfully removed from the inlet area.

On Monday, May 18, 2026 at 2:06 PM, crews from multiple agencies were dispatched to The Point in Oak Island, at the far west end of W Beach Drive, in response to reports of a capsized boat and multiple boaters in the water near the Lockwoods Folly Inlet. [VIDEO POSTED BELOW]

Crews arrived to find two boaters in the water, with two other boaters and one dog having been safely picked up by a passing civilian boat. Using a rescue watercraft and the Town’s new Mobile Drone Control Unit, the Town’s Ocean Rescue Division was able to locate and rescue the two boaters still in the water. At the same time, crews from Oak Island Water Rescue were able to make contact with the civilian boat and retrieve the two other boaters and the dog.

Within 15 minutes of the initial call, all four boaters and their dog had been brought safely back to shore, where they were placed in the care of Brunswick County EMS for evaluation and treatment of minor and / or non-life-threatening injuries.

IMPORTANT: As of this publication, the boat, a 19’ Carolina Skiff model, is still lodged in the sandbar area of the Lockwoods Folly inlet. Until it can be professionally retrieved, it should be considered a navigational hazard for boaters in the area, and avoided with caution. Additionally, it may become dislodged and wash ashore, if this happens beach goers should NOT touch or interact with the boat in any way!

This Notice will be updated once the boat has been retrieved and the hazard is cleared.

The Town of Oak Island and the Fire Department sincerely thank all of the mutual aid partners for the unified effort in this response, which included Oak Island Water Rescue, the U.S. Coast Guard Station Oak Island, Tri-Beach Volunteer Fire Department, Brunswick County EMS, and the Oak Island Police Department.

Additionally, this rescue provides an important opportunity for a reminder on the importance of having U.S.C.G. approved life jackets and floatation devices for all passengers and crew on board, and in a readily accessible area; or better, actively worn when traversing rough waters such as an inlet.

Aerial video of this rescue can be viewed in the media player embedded below, or on the Town of Oak Island YouTube page at OakIslandNC.gov/YouTube.