2 Saved From Sinking Fishing Vessel With 1 Minute To Spare: USCG

FISHERS ISLAND, NY — Two commercial fishermen were rescued after they abandoned their sinking vessel near Fishers Island Sunday morning, according to the United States Coast Guard.

Crewmembers from Coast Guard Station New London rescued the pair; at 7:30 a.m., watchstanders at Sector Long Island Sound received a radio call from the crew of a 55-foot commercial fishing vessel out of Hampton Bays, stating their boat was taking on water in one of their fish holds, the Coast Guard said.

The command center issued an urgent marine information broadcast and launched a Coast Guard Station Montauk and Station New London rescue boatcrew, the USCG said.

The two people donned survival suits and the fishing vessel maintained a northwesterly course toward the Fishers Island area due to the 8-10 foot seas, the USCG said.

At 8:20 a.m., the rescue crew from Montauk arrived on scene; they escorted the vessel and at 9:15 a.m., the Station New London crew, aboard a 45-foot response boat-medium, arrived to help the fishing vessel, the USCG said.

The Montauk crew returned to base and the New London crew passed over a dewatering pump to the crewmembers aboard the distressed vessel, the USCG added. The pump was unable to keep up with the rate of flooding and at 9:30 a.m., the two crewmembers abandoned ship and were quickly picked up by the rescue crew, the USCG said.

In a dramatic turn, the boat capsized within one minute of the crew evacuating the vessel, the USCG said.

The two rescued fishermen were taken back to Station New London with no medical concerns.

The fishing vessel was homeported in Hampton Bays and sank in about 60-foot deep water, the USCG said.

“This incident highlights how critical it is to have appropriate safety gear, emergency radio beacons, life jackets, and survival suits,” said Lt. Cmdr. Jesse Diaz, search and rescue mission coordinator for Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound. “Anything can go wrong at sea, even if you’re a professional mariner. The safety gear saved the lives of these crewmembers today.”