BOSTON — Coast Guard crews towed a 52-foot disabled fishing boat safely to port in Point Judith, Rhode Island, Saturday morning.
Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound command center watchstanders received a call via VHF-16 radio from the captain of Mistress reporting his boat was disabled due to a main engine casualty Friday at approximately 2:30 a.m. Mistress was 70 nautical miles east of Montauk, New York at the time.
The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Spencer was diverted to assist and arrived on scene at approximately 9 a.m. Friday. Shortly after arriving on scene the crew of the Spencer put Mistress in stern tow and began making way toward Point Judith.
The owner of Mistress arranged for the fishing vessel Black Sheep to relieve Spencer when the tow got closer to Point Judith. At approximately 8:15 a.m. Saturday, the good Samaritan Black Sheep assumed the tow of Mistress. However, Black Sheep’s towline parted at approximately 10:30 a.m. Unable to continue the tow, Black Sheep departed the scene.
A 45-foot Response Boat Medium crew from Station Point Judith was on scene at the time as an escort and was able to quickly take over the tow. The Coast Guard crew safely brought Mistress to Handrigan Pier in Point Judith at approximately 11 a.m. Saturday.
“This was a long tow in terms of time and distance covered,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Andy Stokes, an operations unit controller at Sector Southeastern New England’s command center. “We encountered a last minute challenge when the good Sam’s line parted, but fortunately Station Point Judith’s crew was ready to jump in and finish the tow.”