The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Hammerhead and a 45-foot Motor Life Boat crew from Station Castle Hill, R.I. rescued three people aboard a disabled boat 45 miles southeast of Block Island, R.I.
Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England Command Center, in Woods Hole, received a call via VHF-16 radio from the captain of the vessel Blitzen Wednesday at approximately 4:15 p.m. stating the vessel was having engine problems, and they were disabled and adrift.
Search and rescue coordinators at Sector Southeastern New England command center issued a marine assistance request broadcast soliciting assistance for Blitzen from a good Samaritan or a commercial salvage company. After the request went unanswered the command center diverted the crew of the 87-foot Coast Guard Cutter Hammerhead to assist.
At approximately 7 p.m. Wednesday the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Hammerhead took the Blitzen in tow.
The crew of the Hammerhead is scheduled to pass the tow to a 45-foot Motor Life Boat crew from Station Castle Hill early Thursday morning. If commercial salvage is still unavailable, the crew of the 45-foot Motor Life Boat is expected to bring the Blitzen to Conanicut Marina in Jamestown, R.I.
“The Blitzen crew hailed us on Channel 16,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Brian Richardson, a watchstander at Sector Southeastern New England. “A working VHF radio was the key to finding them quickly and communicating the towing plan for a safe journey back to Jamestown.”
Sector Southeastern New England’s area of responsibility is from Manomet Point in Massachusetts to Watch Hill Point in Rhode Island.
