The U.S. Coast Guard and local responders rescued six people Sunday from a 72-footscallop boat sinking five miles off New Bedford.
A person aboard the Captain Jeff scallop boat used a VHF radio at9:30 a.m. to alert the Coast Guard in Woods Holeand report their boat was taking on water.
A 47-foot motor life boat crew from Coast Guard Station Menemsha anda helicopter crew from Air Station Cape Cod responded. TheBuzzards Bay Task Force also responded to help the six people.
Sinking fishing boat towed back to port of #NewBedford. #wbz #wbznews pic.twitter.com/4uoNq2Rjqp
— Kim Tunnicliffe (@KimWBZ) November 20, 2016
At the scene, a rescue swimmer was deployed from the helicopter onto the Captain Jeff with equipment to control the flooding.
After the Coast Guard rescue swimmer realized the equipment wasn’t working, he assisted all six people off the scallop boat and onto a task force boat.
The crew was taken into New Bedford to be evaluated by awaiting emergency services personnel. There were no reported injuries.
“The Coast Guard is grateful for the responsiveness and dedication of our interagency partners in Buzzards Bay,” said Lt. Jarrod Pomajzl, the command center chief at Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England. “Everything they bring to the table improves the search and rescue system, and today they helped save six lives.” The Captain Jeff was sinking and adrift Sunday in New Bedford Harbor. Commercial salvage has been arranged. The cause of the sinking is under investigation.
The Captain Jeff is based in New Bern, North Carolina.
