A lobster boat from York, Maine was yesterday disabled by heavy sea conditions and its two crew were rescued by a Coast Guard response boat.
The 45-foot lobster catcher, Miss Mae & Son, was fishing 17 miles offshore when it was hit and damaged by a heavy wave. The boat’s pumps were unable to keep up with the ingress of water and the crew put out a mayday call on Channel 16.
The call was received by Coast Guard Sector Northern New England and a boat crew from Station Portsmouth Harbor launched their 47-foot response boat and arrived on the scene to find the fishermen standing on the pilot house in full survival gear.
Due to safety concerns, the fishermen jumped into the water and the boat crew pulled alongside to bring them on board. The water temperature was 5°C and the air temperature was 2°C.
The fishermen were brought back to Station Portsmouth Harbor and no injuries have been reported.
‘The lobsterman did all the right things – activated their emergency personal indicating response beacon, called for help on the radio, and wore the proper survival gear,’ said Petty Officer 2nd Class Mike Mathlin, the coxswain of the response boat.
Sector Northern New England is currently issuing a broadcast to mariners informing them the lobster boat is taking on water and adrift with nobody on board.
