ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — The Coast Guard assisted three people Sunday whose fishing vessel started taking on water approximately 80 miles southeast of Cape May.
Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay received notification from the crew of the fishing vessel Viking II at approximately 12:45 a.m. that they were taking on water, and the installed bilge pump was not able to keep up with the rate of flooding.
The crew of the Viking II stated the water level was rising and requested Coast Guard assistance with dewatering.
A Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew arrived on scene and lowered a dewatering pump to the Viking II, but the pump was not able to keep up with the water intake. A Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., HC-130 aircrew dropped a second pump, but the Viking II crew was unable to recover it.
The crew of a nearby fishing vessel, the Miss Suzzane, arrived on scene and took aboard all three crewmembers from Viking II.
The crew of the Cape May-based 87-foot Coast Guard Cutter Ibis arrived on scene, took the three survivors aboard, recovered the dewatering pumps, and headed back to Cape May.
The Viking II continued to sink. There is currently no sign of pollution in the area.
