NEW YORK – The Coast Guard is assisting a fishing vessel that’s taking on water approximately 65 miles southeast of Montauk, N.Y.
Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound, Conn., watchstanders were notified at 10:30 a.m. by the fishing vessel Ocean Pride, homeported in Eliot, Maine, that the fishing vessel Shamrock, from Boston, Mass., was taking on water with four people aboard.
Coast Guard rescue jet and helicopter crews from Air Station Cape Cod, Mass., were immediately deployed to assist the crew of the Shamrock. The jet crew dropped two dewatering pumps just before noon and returned to base, while the helicopter crew remained on scene to monitor the efforts by the crew to save the vessel. The helicopter crew has since returned to base, and the jet crew is currently back on scene so the crew can monitor the situation. The fishing vessel Bookie, homeported in New York, is also on scene.
The Coast Guard Cutters Ridley and Tiger Shark, both 87-foot patrol boats, are en route to assist in any rescue efforts.
The crew of the Shamrock has donned survival suits and has a life raft ready to deploy if conditions worsen.
The master of the Shamrock reported that a plank in a forward compartment of the vessel’s hull was damaged, causing flooding, and the onboard dewatering pump reportedly could not keep up with the flooding. The crew of the Shamrock was offshore fishing when incident happened.
Current sea and weather conditions offshore are 10 to 12-foot seas and 10-20 knot winds, gusting to 30 knots. Water temperature is 45 degrees and air temperature is 39 degrees.
“Weather conditions are making it difficult for the crew of the Shamrock to keep up with the flooding, but we are working closely with them to get into New Bedford safely,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Anthony Kozak, a watchstander at Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound, Conn.
The Coast Guard will continue to utilize every resource available to assist in the safe return of these four people.
