Four headed home to Gloucester, MA, after Coast Guard helps fishermen dewater, make repairs to flooding boat

Four headed home to Gloucester, MA, after Coast Guard helps fishermen dewater, make repairs to flooding boat

BOSTON — Four people are safely making their way back to port Friday following a multi-asset response to a fishing boat taking on water Friday morning about 60 miles southeast of Vinalhaven, Maine.

A person aboard fishing vessel Tyler, homeported in Gloucester, used a VHF radio to contact watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Northern New England’s command center at about 7:30 a.m. and reported their boat was rapidly taking on water with four people aboard. The hailer reported they were using pumps, but were unable to keep up with the flooding.

An MH-60 helicopter crew deployed from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod and provided two dewatering pumps to the fishermen, who were able to dewater the boat and make repairs to stop the flooding.

The Coast Guard Cutter Moray, a coastal patrol boat homeported in Jonesport, Maine, arrived on scene to assist Tyler’s crew in dewatering and making repairs.

“It was discovered Tyler’s shaft seal packing box had come off,” said Seaman Amanda Geber, a crewmember aboard Moray. “However, after dewatering the engine space, the crew was able to make repairs. After sea trials, it was determined Tyler could make it safely back to port on her own power. It was fortunate this case was concluded without loss of crew, vessel, or catch.”

An Air Station Cape Cod 144 Ocean Sentry crew, Coast Guard Station Jonesport, Maine, a Canadian surveillance aircraft diverted from The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Halifax, and a nearby high-speed ferry that runs from Portland, Maine, to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, also responded to help.

Tyler is currently en route to Gloucester.

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