New York – Local rescue agencies suspended at 9:00 am today an early morning land and sea search for a vessel that reported grounding in heavy fog in Byrum River near Eaton’s Neck.The Coast Guard received a distress call via marine band radio channel 16 from a vessel that reported running aground in the Byrum River at 1:45 a.m. today due to fog.
The Coast Guard lost communications with the vessel shortly after receiving the call and were unable to gather its name and specific location. An urgent marine information broadcast was then issued to alert other mariners in the area of the possible grounding.
A Coast Guard crew from Station Eaton’s Necks along with a Greenwich, NY. Police Department vessel were immediately launched to conduct a search of the area.
Vehicles from the Port Chester Police Department and the Rye Police Department were dispatched at 5:50 a.m. when the fog had lifted to conduct a vehicle beach search, and a second search in the water, although no vessel was found.
The Coast Guard suspended the search at 9 a.m.
“We take every distress call seriously,” said Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Vania Czumak, a command center officer at Sector Long Island Sound in New Haven, Conn. “It’s perfect weather for someone to hit a rock, that’s why we stayed out there all night. We didn’t want to miss anything in this fog.”
The Coast Guard strongly urges boaters to know how to safely return to port when you encounter adverse weather conditions, and make sure your vessel has the necessary lights and sound equipment needed before going out on the water.
