WILMINGTON, N.C. — The Coast Guard assisted one man after his vessel ran aground and became disabled on the Neuse River Tuesday.
Watchstanders in the Coast Guard Sector North Carolina Command Center in Wilmington received a call at about 2:50 p.m. that a man aboard a 40-foot vessel had extinguished an engine fire and that his boat was aground and disabled in the vicinity of Broad Creek.
A Coast Guard 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew launched from Coast Guard Station Hobucken, North Carolina. The RB-M crew arrived on scene but could not safely transit the remaining 500 yards to the aground boat due to draft restrictions.
One good Samaritan aboard a nearby 16-foot boat transported two Station Hobucken crew members to the disabled vessel, then brought the crew members and the man back to the RB-M.
The Station Hobucken crew transferred the man to a waiting EMS team on shore.
“We would like to express our appreciation for the good Samaritan who offered his help today,” said Coast Guard Lt. Tiffany Zehnle, command duty officer for the case. “This was truly a team effort between the Station Hobucken crew and the local mariner. Together they were able to quickly and safely help this man out of a difficult situation.”
The owner is working to salvage the boat, which currently poses no hazard to navigation.