The U.S. Coast Guard rescued six people Sunday night after a fire forced them to abandon ship more than 100 nautical miles off the coast of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, officials said Monday.
The survivors – the vessel’s captain, four crew members, and an observer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – were brought to a pier in South Portland on Monday morning, the Coast Guard said in a statement. There were “no major injuries” reported.
The Coast Guard’s Sector Northern New England command center received a mayday call from an 81-foot fishing trawler named Three Girls shortly before 9 p.m. Sunday, officials said.
By 9 p.m., Sector Northern New England diverted the fast response cutter William Chadwick to respond. Meanwhile, crews aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk and HC-144 Ocean Sentry from the Coast Guard’s Cape Cod air station were launched to offer aerial support, the agency said.
Emergency crews and the trawler’s sister ship, the vessel Princess Laura, arrived around 10:30 p.m., where they found all six survivors in a life raft. The William Chadwick’s crew launched a smaller boat to pick them up, and all survivors were safely onboard the rescue vessel by 11:30 p.m., the Coast Guard said.
Lt. Cmdr. Brent Lane, commanding officer of the William Chadwick, said he “couldn’t be prouder of our crew’s swift response.”
“Their dedication and skill were crucial to the successful outcome, but it’s also a stark reminder of the importance of having the right safety equipment at all times,” Lane said in the statement. “This rescue highlights that preparation and proper gear are as vital as the bravery and professionalism our team consistently displays.”
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