USCG rescue crews assist sinking fishing vessel
The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Seneca assisted seven people aboard a sinking fishing vessel approximately 150 miles east of Cape Cod, Mass., at approximately 10 p.m. Saturday, the USCG news release said.
Watchstanders from the Sector Southeastern New England Command Center received a distress call from the 79-foot fishing vessel Linda at approximately 2:02 p.m. The vessel reported that they were taking on water with seven people aboard.
A fishing vessel in the area located the fishing vessel Linda and reported that the vessel was stable, utilizing pumps, and all people aboard were outfitted with survival suits and a life raft was prepared.
The Cutter Seneca, a Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter crew and an HU-25 Falcon Jet crew were launched to assist.
The crewmembers from the Cutter Seneca 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.
Coast Guard rescue crews will escort the 79-foot fishing vessel Linda to its homeport of New Bedford, Mass.
Coast Guard assets conduct monthly training to stay actively sharp on how to successfully contain any mishaps that might occur at sea. Training includes basic firefighting and damage control seniors where crewmembers learn from a hands-on environment.
