Coast Guard crews responded to a pleasure craft taking on water with six people aboard off the south coast of Martha’s Vineyard, Sunday morning.
At approximately 8:51 a.m., watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector South Eastern New England received a distress call over channel 16 from a passenger aboard the 32-foot pleasure craft Fast Line. The caller indicated six people were aboard, the vessel was taking on water, and the onboard pumps couldn’t keep up with the flooding. It was reported all were donning life vests and that Fast Line was making way toward the closest fishing vessel in the area, Alantic Prince.
Watchstanders immediately sent an urgent marine broadcast for boats in the vicinity of Fast Line to respond and render aid, dispatched a 47-foot motor life boat crew from Station Menemsha and launched an MH-60 Jayhalk helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod. Alantic Prince and the Coast Guard crews all arrived on scene at approximately 9:50 a.m. to assist Fast Line. No injuries were reported and the Coast Guard crew transferred four of the six adults to the rescue vessel and both the 47-foot motor life boat crew and MH-60 Jayhalk helicopter crew transferred and engaged dewatering pumps aboard Fast Line.
After dewatering and inspecting the pleasure craft it was deemed towable. Fast Line is currently being escorted by the 47-foot motor life boat crew while under commercial tow to Bass River in South Yarmouth, Fast Line’s homeport.
The cause of the flooding was reported to be a crack in the hull.
