CLEVELAND — The Coast Guard rescued three people Monday evening, taking them off of a boat taking on water near the mouth of the Niagara River in the vicinity of LaSalle Park in Buffalo, N.Y.
At about 7 p.m., a watchstander at Coast Guard Station Buffalo received a phone call from the operator of a 23-foot Sea Ray who reported that his boat was taking on water with three people aboard. The watchstander issued an urgent marine information broadcast requesting assistance from any other nearby boaters, while a Station Buffalo rescue boatcrew launched aboard a 25-foot Response Boat-Small.
The boatcrew arrived on scene within five minutes and brought all three people aboard the RB-S. The boatcrew was unable to get their dewatering pump to suction properly, but were able to control the flooding by shutting down the boat’s engine. The rescue boatcrew towed the boat to the Erie Basin Marina, where it was trailored.
None of the three people needed medical attention.
The Coast Guard reminds all boaters to take the time to inspect their boat before getting underway. The Coast Guard also suggests that all boaters carry a VHF-FM marine band radio as a primary source of communication and only use a cell phone as a backup.
