Seastreak ferry rescues four from sinking boat

The following is text of a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard:

(NEW YORK) — The Coast Guard and a Seastreak ferry assisted four people from a boat taking on water near Sandy Hook Bay, N.J., on Saturday.

At approximately 3:50 p.m., watch standers at Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook received a mayday call via VHF-FM radio Channel 21 that a 21-foot pleasure boat was taking on water with four people aboard.

Sector New York watch standers issued an urgent marine information broadcast and launched boat crews from Coast Guard Stations Sandy Hook and New York to assist.

In less than five minutes, a Seastreak ferry whose crew heard the urgent marine information broadcast arrived on scene. The ferry assisted the people on the boat until a Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook 29-foot response boat-small arrived on scene at 4:05 p.m., and transferred the four people aboard their boat before the vessel capsized.

All four people were wearing life jackets and safely transferred to Station Sandy Hook with no reported injuries.

The 21-foot capsized vessel was marked for navigational safety until the owner can arrange salvage operations for the boat.

The Coast Guard reminds boaters to always wear a life jacket. The number one cause of boating fatalities is drowning, most often by sudden, unexpected entry into the water. Wearing a life jacket increases the chances of surviving a boating accident.

By Professional Mariner Staff