Coast Guard, Navy, and local municipalities coordinate to save man from burning vessel

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 12/20/2020 09:01 PM EST

united states coast guard 

News Release  

U.S. Coast Guard 5th District Mid-Atlantic
Contact: 5th District Public Affairs
Office: (757) 398-6272
After Hours: (757) 295-8435
5th District online newsroom

Coast Guard, Navy, and local municipalities coordinate to save man from burning vessel

Rescue crews work to extinguish the fire on a vessel near Hospital Point in Portsmouth, Virginia, December 20, 2020. A vessel burns near Hospital Point in Portsmouth, Virginia, December 20, 2020. Smoke trails from an extinguished boat fire near Hospital Point in Portsmouth, Virginia, December 20, 2020.

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

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The U.S. Coast Guard, Navy, Virginia Marine Resources Commission and the Norfolk and Portsmouth Fire Departments coordinated to save a man from a burning vessel off of Hospital Point Sunday morning.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Virginia Command Center received notification at approximately 6:57 a.m. that a vessel was on fire with one person aboard, just off of Hospital Point in Portsmouth. A Navy Security boat arrived on scene and retrieved the man, who suffered minor injuries. Coast Guard Station Portsmouth and Portsmouth Fire Department launched assets and extinguished the fire.

"The rapid coordination between the Coast Guard, Navy, VMRC and Portsmouth and Norfolk Fire Departments saved a life today,” said Cmdr. Jason Ingram, Coast Guard Chief of Response for Sector Virginia. “This region's strong partnerships are critical to keeping our community safe."

-USCG-