Coast Guard cutter maintains safety zone as tugboat heads to port

BOSTON - A Coast Guard cutter is assisting a tugboat being towed after it caught fire earlier today approximately four miles south of Sconticut Neck in Fairhaven, Mass.

The Coast Guard Cutter Hammerhead is providing a safety and security zone for the tugboat Canal Deluge, which is being towed by tugboat Miss Yvette to the Kelly Marine Railway Facility in Fairhaven.

Prior to getting underway, a Coast Guard inspector and members of the New Bedford fire department inspected the tugboat to ensure it was safe to tow closer to port.

A 47-foot rescue boat crew from Station Menemsha rescued three crewmembers from the Canal Deluge after the tug reported the fire to Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England around 1 a.m., today.

“The tugboat crew did a great job by calling the Coast Guard for assistance, after activating the boat’s fire extinguishing system,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Justin Urbana, a situation watchstander for Sector Southeastern New England. “The call allowed the Coast Guard to act quickly to get the crew off the tug and the fire extinguished with no injuries or pollution to the environment.”

The Coast is investigating the cause of the fire.

Coast Guard Responds to Tugboat Fire, Rescues Three

BOSTON - The Coast Guard rescued three people from a tugboat that caught fire early this morning approximately four miles south of Sconticut Neck in Fairhaven, Mass.

Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England received a call from the crew aboard the tugboat Canal Deluge around 1 a.m., reporting a fire in their engine room.

A 47-foot rescue boat crew from Coast Guard Station Menemsha responded, rescuing three crewmembers from the 129-foot tug, which operates out of Bourne, Mass.

Coast Guard Cutter Hammerhead, homeported in Wood Hole, Mass., is on scene and a Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Cape Cod, Mass., is expected to be on scene shortly.

The Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers are closely monitoring vessel traffic through the area. The tug is not blocking the main channel.

Tugs Yvette and Winslow Kelsey have been working to extinguish the fire.

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are also assisting.

The Canal Deluge was one of two tugs escorting a barge when the fire started.

No injuries or pollution have been reported at this time.

“Thankfully no one was injured,” said Petty Officer 1st Class John Saunders, the command duty officer for Sector Southeastern New England. “Right now we are really focusing on ensuring the boat doesn’t become a hazard to navigation or the environment.”

D1 Public Affairs

Diver’s body recovered off Nantucket

The Cape Cod Times reports that the Coast Guard has recovered a body that is believed to be the diver reported missing yesterday morning.

Coast Guard officials said that until the body is identified, they could not be sure that it was the diver they were searching for.

The body was placed on the Cutter Hammerhead and transported to the Montauk, NY coroners office.

An investigation into the incident will be conducted by Coast Guard Sector Long Island.

Coast Guard searching for missing diver

Boston Public Affairs has issued a release on the Nantucket diver.

BOSTON - Coast Guard crews are searching for a diver after he failed to surface approximately 40 miles south of Nantucket, Mass., today.

Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England received a radio distress call around noon from a 38-foot vessel reporting that one of their divers had not surfaced at 11 a.m., as expected.

Two Jayhawk helicopter crews from Air Station Cape Cod, Mass., are searching the area and the Coast Guard Cutter Hammerhead, an 87-foot patrol boat from Woods Hole, Mass., is en route to the scene.

“The Coast Guard recommends taking all safety precautions necessary to remain safe while diving and to always have a dive partner,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Stephen Kent, the search and rescue controller at Sector Southeastern New England.

Coast Guard ends search for Massachusetts man

BOSTON (D1 Public Affairs) - The Coast Guard suspended the search at 7:30 this morning for a Quincy, Mass., man who fell overboard July 3, near Deer Island, Mass.

“The decision to end an active search is a very difficult one,” said Capt. Gail Kulisch, the commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector Boston. “While the Coast Guards active effort has ended after an exhaustive search, we will remain vigilant for any additional information or sightings related to this case.”

Anthony Tufo, 60, fell overboard the Nina Maria while en route the Winthrop, Mass., Yacht Club around 6 p.m., Thursday.

During the 40 hour search which began Thursday evening, the 87-foot Coast Guard Cutter Hammerhead from Woods Hole, Mass., boat crews from Station Point Allerton and Jayhawk helicopter crews from Air Station Cape Cod, Mass., repeatedly scoured approximately 50 square miles looking for Tufo. Several state and local agencies, including the Massachusetts State and Environmental Police, the Massachusetts Port Authority, Quincy Police Department, Middlesex sheriff and Boston and Winthrop fire departments also saturated the area. In addition, dive teams from the state police and the Boston fire department searched the waters in the vicinity of where Tufo was last seen. Numerous agencies supported the effort with shoreline searches.

“This search has truly been a community effort,” said Kulisch. “The support from our state and local partners has been a valuable asset and we appreciate all the time and effort of all those who helped.”

Coast Guard currently searching for person in water

BOSTON (D1 Public Affairs) - Several Coast Guard crews and local agencies are currently searching for a 60-year man who fell in the water in the vicinity of Deer Island, Mass., around 6 p.m.

Coast Guard Sector Boston Command Center received a call from a 34-foot Stingray pleasure craft, the Nina Maria, reporting one of their passengers fell off the boat while en route to the Winthrop, Mass., Yacht Club.

Currently onscene are: a 25-foot and 41-foot boat crew from Coast Guard Station Point Allerton located in Hull, Mass., the 87-foot cutter Hammerhead from Woods Hole, Mass., a Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Cape Cod, Mass., the state police and port authority. The Logan and Winthrop fire departments are conducting searches on land for the missing man.

Currently there are 15-25 knot winds with seas of 2-3 feet and there is a severe storm expected to hit the area shortly.