Coast Guard and Hampton Fire Rescue help two people and a dog to shore

by Coast Guard First District Northeast News on 17 Apr 2017 The Coast Guard and Hampton Fire Rescue helped two people and a dog to shore Saturday after their boat started taking on water about three miles east of Hampton Harbor, New Hampshire. A man aboard the fishing boat Patricia Lynn II used a VHF radio to contact watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Northern New England at about 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

The man reported the Patricia Lynn II was rapidly taking on water and the two men aboard were using buckets to dewater the boat. He also said they were using a bilge pump but it was not keeping up with the rate of flooding. The man said both men aboard had donned survival suits, and put a lifejacket on a dog that was also aboard the boat.

Station Portsmouth Harbor, Station Merrimack River, a helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, and Hampton Fire Rescue responders all launched to help. The Hampton Fire Rescue crew arrived on scene first and passed a dewatering pump aboard the Patricia Lynn II to help dewater the flooding boat. Station Portsmouth Harbor arrived shortly after, and stood by with their dewatering pump to help. Station Merrimack River and the aircrew stood down and returned to base.

Both Station Portsmouth Harbor and the Hampton Fire Rescue crew escorted the Patricia Lynn II into Hampton Harbor where the boat is currently moored. “These two men were smart to don their survival suits as soon as they realized their boat was taking on water,” said Kenneth Stuart, the command duty officer at Sector Northern New England. “With the water temperatures still dangerously cold, having the proper gear, for themselves and even their dog, allowed them to actively work to dewater their boat until help arrived. If they had ended up in the water – their chances of survival were much higher.”

The source of the flooding is under investigation. There are no reported injuries.