Two fishermen were rescued by the crew of another boat after they jumped into the ocean from their burning vessel Thursday about four miles south of Port Clyde.
The Coast Guard said it received a distress call around 10 a.m. from the fishing vessel Miss Lynn, reporting that the boat’s engine room was on fire.
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The Coast Guard launched a 29-foot response boat and diverted the 225-foot buoy tender Willow, which was located nearby, but also requested assistance from other mariners in the area.
The fishing vessel Bug Catcha was the first to arrive. By that time, the two crew members had donned survival suits and jumped into the water, which was just above 40 degrees Thursday, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Bug Catcha crew helped them from the water, according to the Coast Guard.
The Willow arrived shortly afterward and its crew tried to extinguish the fire, but the boat was heavily damaged and sank quickly near Cilley Ledge with no sign of pollution, the Coast Guard said.
“This is an unfortunate situation for the two fishermen, but they did several things right that saved their lives,” Capt. Michael Baroody, commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector Northern New England, said in a written statement. “They used their radio to make a distress call to notify the Coast Guard, they relayed the critical information we needed and they donned immersion suits.”
The Coast Guard intends to conduct an investigation.
Scott Dolan can be contacted at 791-6304 or at:
sdolan@pressherald.com
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