Three people were hoisted from a life raft by a Coast Guard helicopter rescue crew after their 38-foot fishing vessel began sinking 12 miles south of Fire Island, N.Y., at about 10:15 a.m. today.
The vessel Green Eyes, from New Bedford, Mass., was mostly submerged when Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound received the distress call over Marine Band Radio channel 16 at 8:54 a.m. A rescue boat crew from Station Fire Island immediately responded.
An HH65 helicopter rescue crew from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City located three fishermen wearing protective suits in a survival raft around 10:15 a.m. A rescue basket was lowered and all three fishermen were hoisted onboard the helicopter. Due to bad weather, the three fishermen were brought to Station Fire Island where West Islip Emergency Medical personnel took them to a local hospital.
The Coast Guard Cutters Ridley, an 87-foot patrol boat home ported in Montauk, N.Y., and the Bainbridge Island, a 110-foot cutter home ported in Sandy Hook, N.J., were nearby and diverted to the scene at about 9:15 a.m.
There were no reported injuries.
“The three fisherman were in a life raft, wearing protective dry suits and had a working Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) on board,” said Lt. j.g. Kristin Kistler, Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound command duty officer. “Being prepared helped save their lives.”
The Coast Guard urges all boaters to have the necessary equipment on board their vessel when getting underway at all times.
