Fishermen Rescued From Sinking Vessel
Published: March 17, 2006
Three fishermen are back home safe and sound in Maine after a dramatic overnight rescue at sea by the Coast Guard.
NewsCenter 5’s Jim Boyd reported that the Coast Guard said their life-saving efforts were effective because the men in distress had all the right equipment and knew exactly what to do as they made their call for help.
“The fishing crew told us (in a call for help) that they were taking on water, that they were getting into their survival suits and they were preparing to abandon ship,” said Coast Guard Petty Officer Luke Pinneo.
Pinneo said shortly after the transmission, the Coast Guard lost contact with the 44-foot Celtic Pride. But he said the crew of the Portland, Maine, fishing vessel had effectively passed on vital information.
“What they did was they passed us their position first. That was great because we were able to know where they were,” Pinneo said.
The ship also had an emergency positioning radio beacon on board which helped the Coast Guard confirm the ship’s location and dispatch a helicopter. Pinneo said the crew of the Celtic Pride did all the right things to increase their chances of being saved.
“This is the classic example of prepared fishermen. They had the right gear on board. It worked. They knew how to use it and they did,” Pinneo said.
Pinneo said the crew was also perfectly prepared when the rescue helicopter arrived on scene.
“They had gotten into their suits. They had gotten into a life raft and we were able to get them,” he said.
The three crew members, Tim Daggett, Mitch McNeil and John Emerton, were flown to the Coast Guard Station on Cape Cod and have since returned home to Maine. They did not suffer any injuries.
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