November 21, 2016 –The U.S. Coast Guard and local responders rescued six people Sunday from a 72-foot scallop boat sinking five miles off New Bedford.
A person aboard the Captain Jeff scallop boat used a VHF radio at 9:30 a.m. to alert the Coast Guard in Woods Hole and report their boat was taking on water.
A 47-foot motor life boat crew from Coast Guard Station Menemsha and a helicopter crew from Air Station Cape Cod responded. The Buzzards Bay Task Force also responded to help the six people.
At the scene, a rescue swimmer was deployed from the helicopter onto the Captain Jeff with equipment to control the flooding.
After the Coast Guard rescue swimmer realized the equipment wasn’t working, he assisted all six people off the scallop boat and onto a task force boat.
The crew was taken into New Bedford to be evaluated by awaiting emergency services personnel. There were no reported injuries.