Coast Guard assists disabled boater near Norfolk

PORTSMOUTH, Va. – The Coast Guard came to the aid of a man after his vessel became disabled near Norfolk Thursday.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads in Portsmouth received a report of a disabled 22-foot Bayliner at approximately 1:15 p.m. The boat had lost power and was moored to pilings in the vicinity of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel.

A 29-foot Response Boat-Small crew launched from Coast Guard Station Portsmouth and arrived on scene at approximately 1:35 p.m. The boat crew spoke to the one man aboard the boat and learned that he had no anchor.

The boat crew towed the Bayliner to the docks at Willoughby Marina.

“Boaters should never get underway without an anchor,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Anton Jelsma, a response boat crewman on the case.