Coast Guard rescues 2 aboard sinking boat near Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, VA

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 02/26/2017 08:13 PM EST

united states coast guard 

News Release  

February 26, 2017
U.S. Coast Guard 5th District Mid-Atlantic
Contact: 5th District Public Affairs
Office: (757) 398-6272
After Hours: (757) 434-7712

Coast Guard rescues 2 aboard sinking boat near Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, VA

U.S. Coast Guard Station Little Creek crew stand by as a 23-foot boat is lifted out of the water at Lynnhaven Marine Boatel in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Feb. 26, 2017. Station Little Creek passed dewatering pumps to and escorted the two people aboard the boat after it hit an underwater rock and began taking on water. (U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 2nd Class Geoffrey Wells)

Editors' Note: Click on image to view video.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Coast Guard rescued two people aboard a boat near the third island at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel Sunday.

Station Little Creek received notification at approximately 3:15 p.m. that a 23-foot boat had struck a underwater rock with two people aboard and was taking on water.

Station Little Creek diverted a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium (RBM) crew already in the vicinity training and launched a second RBM crew. The first crew arrived on scene at approximately 3:20 p.m. with the second arriving shortly after. Both RBM crews transferred dewatering pumps to the vessel. 

The two RBM crews escorted the boat to Lynnhaven Marine Boatel in Virginia Beach where it was moored up at 4:15 p.m.

“We were lucky to already be training in the area, ” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Geoffrey Wells, coxswain in the second responding RBM. "Station Little Creek is always ready to maintain a quick response to mariners in distress."

-USCG-