New York

Coast Guard Rescue 2 People From Sinking Vessel Near Fishers Island, NY

Crew members from the Coast Guard Station in New London rescued two people from a sinking fishing vessel near Fishers Island, New York on Sunday morning.

Watch standers at Sector Long Island Sound received a radio call from the crew of a 55-foot commercial fishing vessel around 7:30 a.m. The crew said their boat was taking on water in one of their fish holds.

The command center issued an urgent marine information broadcast and launched a Coast Guard Station Montauk and Station New London rescue boat crew, according to the Coast Guard.

Less than an hour later, the rescue crew from Montauk arrived at the scene. The Coast Guard said they escorted the vessel before the Station New London crew aboard a 45-foot response boat rendezvoused with the fishing vessel. The Montauk crew then returned to base.

According to the Coast Guard, the New London crew passed a dewatering pump to the crew members who were aboard the distressed vessel, however, the pump was not able to keep up with the rate of flooding.

Shortly after, the two crew members aboard the distressed vessel abandoned ship and were quickly picked up by the rescue crew, the Coast Guard said. The boat capsized within one minute of the crew evacuating.

The two rescued fishermen were taken back to Station New London and no injuries were reported.

The fishing vessel was returned to its home port in Hampton Bays, New York, but later sank in about 60 feet of water, the Coast Guard said.

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