Coast Guard tows disabled, adrift boat 70 miles off Virginia Beach, VA

News Release

August 02, 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 assists disabled boat 70 miles off Virginia coast

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Coast Guard assisted a disabled vessel 70 miles off Virginia coast, Tuesday.

Watchstanders in the Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads Command Center in Portsmouth received a call at approximately 6:45 a.m. that a 60-foot recreational fishing vessel with five adults and a dog aboard was disabled and adrift about 70 miles east of Cape Henry.

The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Lawrence Lawson, homeported in Cape May, N.J., responded and arrived on scene by about 11:30 a.m. An engineer from the Lawrence Lawson boarded the vessel and restarted the boat’s engines.

While transiting back to Ocean City, Maryland, the vessel lost propulsion twice more.

The Lawrence Lawson crew took the boat in tow at about 2:30 p.m. and headed toward Ocean City. The Lawrence Lawson transferred the tow 12 miles off Ocean City at approximately 11:15 p.m. to a 47-foot Motor Lifeboat crew from Coast Guard Station Ocean City.

The boatcrew arrived at Ocean City Commercial Fishing Harbor Wednesday at 1:40 a.m.

"It is crucial for all boaters to regularly inspect the equipment and propulsion systems aboard their vessels" said Petty Officer 2nd Hezakiah H. Henson, crewmember for the rescue boatcrew. "We are happy that we were able to work together with the Lawrence Lawson crew to help these boaters in need." 

-USCG-