Seven Rescued From Sinking Fishing Vessel Off Cape Cod

Posted in Fishing Vessel Accidents,Massachusetts Maritime News on September 25, 2012

According to the USCG crews from the Cutter Seneca assisted seven people aboard a sinking fishing vessel about 150 miles east of Cape Cod, Mass., at approximately 10 p.m. Saturday.

Watchstanders from the Sector Southeastern New England Command Center say they received a distress call from the 79-foot F/V Linda at approximately 2:02 p.m. reporting that their vessel was taking on water with seven people aboard.

A fishing vessel in the area located the distressed fishing vessel and reported that the vessel was stable, utilizing pumps, and all people aboard were outfitted with survival suits and a life raft was prepared. Meanwhile the Cutter Seneca, a Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod  MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter crew and an HU-25 Falcon Jet crew arrived on scene and assisted the vessel with dewatering, shoring the damaged hull and restarting the engine.  

“The Coast Guard would like to stress the importance of having dewatering and shoring equipment on board vessels to increase readiness in times of mishaps at sea,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Seth Caron, an operation unit controller at Sector Southeastern New England Command Center.

The Coast Guard eventually escorted the 79-foot fishing vessel Linda to its homeport of New Bedford, Mass.