Coast Guard rescues Northeast Harbor lobster boat, assists another off Portsmouth Harbor

Nov. 23--SOUTHWEST HARBOR, Maine -- Crews from the U.S. Coast Guard were busy this weekend helping the crews of two disabled fishing boats -- one off Southwest Harbor and the other located 50 miles off Portsmouth Harbor.

A distress call from the crew of the Northeast Harbor-based Royal Fortune came in at 3:42 p.m. Saturday, according to Operations Specialist First Class Chris Kiener of Coast Guard Sector Northern New England. Three people were aboard the disabled vessel, adrift in high seas.

Because of the wind and the 12- to 15-foot seas, the Coast Guard decided to launch a 47-foot motor lifeboat and tow the Royal Fortune to shore, he said.

A second emergency call came in about 5 a.m Sunday from the Boston-based Two Megs. The crew of that fishing boat reported by radio that the engine room was flooded and they were about 40 miles east of Isle of Shoals, according to a press release from the Coast Guard'sFirst District in Boston.

Rescue crews aboard a Jayhawk helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft were launched out of Air Station Cape Cod and found the Two Megs at 6:39 a.m. A good Samaritan aboard the fishing vessel the Rachel T also came to help, according to the media release.

The crews aboard the aircraft dropped pumps to the flooded fishing vessel and the crew aboard the Two Megs found the flooding source, secured it and were able to pump the water out. They got the engine started and were underway to their home port in Boston on their own power, Kiener said. Another Coast Guard vessel, the Cutter Grand Isle, was en route Sunday morning to make sure the fishing boat arrived safely.

"This was a multi-asset response -- many teams working together to ensure the crew makes it home," Kiener said.

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