Coast Guard tows disabled fishing vessel from 12 miles off Cape Hatteras, NC

Courtesy Photo | The Blue Fin, a 54-foot fishing vessel, is shown disabled and adrift in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 12 miles south of Cape Hatteras, N.C., Wednesday, April 3, 2013. A crew aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Block Island, a 110-foot patrol boat home-ported in Atlantic Beach, N.C., was dispatched to assist by towing it to Oregon Inlet. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. j.g. Alexander Eames)  

PORTSMOUTH, VA, UNITED STATES

04.03.2013

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Brandyn Hill 

U.S. Coast Guard District 5   

PORTSMOUTH, Va. - The Coast Guard assisted five people aboard a 54-foot fishing boat Wednesday after the fishing boat became disabled and adrift approximately 12 miles south of Cape Hatteras, N.C.

The operator of the fishing boat Blue Fin contacted Coast Guard Sector North Carolina watch standers at approximately 7 a.m. and requested assistance.

Sector North Carolina watch standers issued a marine assistance request broadcast and did not receive a response. Since commercial assistance was unable to respond that far offshore, watch standers dispatched a crew aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Block Island, a 110-foot patrol boat home-ported in Atlantic Beach, N.C., to assist.

The Block Island and crew arrived on scene at approximately 10:30 a.m. and began towing the fishing boat to Oregon Inlet. The Blue Fin is expected to arrive at the Willie R. Etheridge Seafood Company in Wanchese, N.C., around 5 a.m. Thursday.

• Date Taken: 04.03.2013
• Date Posted: 04.03.2013 21:23
• Story ID: 104565
• Location: PORTSMOUTH, VA, US
• Hometown: ATLANTIC BEACH, NC, US
• Hometown: CAPE HATTERAS, NC, US