PORTSMOUTH, Va. – The Coast Guard assisted a fishing vessel in distress in Bay River, N.C., early this morning after the boat’s generators had failed.
Coast Guard Sector North Carolina received a call from the 80-foot fishing boat Southern Lady at 4:02 a.m. requesting assistance after their generator had failed following an engine fire causing the crew to lose all electronic capabilities aboard. The vessel had about 5 inches of water as a result of the ice melting from their fish hold.
A 41-foot rescue boat crew from Coast Guard Station Hobucken, N.C., was launched to assist the distressed vessel. The crew transfered a portable generator to the four people aboard and assisted them with pumping out the water from the fishing boat.
The rescue crew safely escorted the vessel to Station Hobucken.