Coast Guard, good Samaritans respond to boat taking on water off the coast of Maine

News Release

June 7, 2017 U.S. Coast Guard 1st District Northeast Contact: 1st District Public Affairs Office: (617) 223-8515 After Hours: (617) 717-9609

Coast Guard, good Samaritans respond to boat taking on water off the coast of Maine

 Editors' Note: Click on images to download high-resolution version.

BOSTON — Coast Guard crews from Stations Jonesport and Southwest Harbor along with several good Samaritans responded to a boat taking on water Wednesday morning 30 miles south of Englishman Bay, Maine.

At around 9:50 a.m., Sector Northern New England watchstanders were notified that the 48-foot motor vessel Variant was taking on water and the boat’s bilge pumps could not keep up with the flooding. Three people were aboard at the time.

47-foot Motor Lifeboat crews from Station Jonesport and Station Southwest Harbor launched immediately to assist.

Several good Samaritans were in the area and came to Variant's aid before the Coast Guard arrived.

“The fishing vessels Outnumbered and Rattlesnake deployed a pump to remove the water,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Mike Miller, the coxswain of Southwest Harbor’s Motor Lifeboat. “They pumped about 50 gallons a minute for about an hour.”

Miller said the captain of the Rattlesnake got onboard to help with the dewatering and assess the engine problem that was causing the flooding.

The captain of Variant was able to eventually locate the cause of the flooding, and stop it by securing the damaged engine, added Miller.

After stopping the flooding, the captain of Variant decided to continue on their voyage to Chester, Nova Scotia.

“In many of the cases we respond to, good Sams are the first on scene and provide valuable experience that has been handed down for generations, especially here in Maine,” said Miller. “We are lucky to have those resources at the ready.”

-USCG-