To view Coast Guard video of the incident, CLICK HERE.
The three were aboard the sailing vessel Freefall when it sent a distress signal around 7:15 p.m. Tuesday.
A Coast Guard plane and helicopter were launched from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C.
The rescue crews located the stricken vessel shortly after 1 a.m., but were unable to hoist the passengers from the craft due to extreme weather conditions, including rain, high winds and 40-50 foot seas, the Coast Guard said.
A rescue swimmer entered the water and attempted to place Rubright into a rescue basket, but a large wave damaged the basket and hoist cable.
The helicopter crew then deployed a life raft and Rubright was placed in it. Another large wave hit the raft, injuring the rescue swimmer and tossing Rubright from the raft, the Coast Guard said.
The injured swimmer was unable to recover Rubright.
The helicopter crew deployed an emergency recovery device to hoist the rescue swimmer from the water, called for assistance and flew to Atlantic City to seek treatment for him. The injured swimmer, whose name was not released, was treated and released, the Coast Guard said.
Additional helicopters were then launched from Air Station Atlantic City and Cape Cod, Mass., along with three Coast Guard cutters.
The Cape Cod helicopter crew recovered Rubright from the water and flew him to Atlantic City, where he was pronounced dead by the Atlantic County medical examiner.
A second helicopter crew from Elizabeth City hoisted the surviving passengers from the boat shortly before 8 a.m. and flew them to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City, where they were treated for mild hypothermia, the Coast Guard said.
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