Four rescued after fishing boat collision south of Block Island

Matt Couture,
Footage shows two fishing boats that collided south of Block Island Friday, Jan. 24 (U.S. Coast Guard).

NEW SHOREHAM, R.I. (WLNE) — Four people were rescued after two fishing boats collided south of Block Island Thursday night.

Nobody was hurt.

The U.S. Coast Guard said one of the boats took on “significant water.”

A 55-foot trawler, the ‘Mattie and Maren II,’ had flooding in the engine room and was unable to keep up with the water, a Coast Guard spokesperson said.

The four people on board that boat put on survival suits and prepared a life raft in preparation to abandon the ship.

A Coast Guard crew arrived to help with pumping out water, but weather made it impossible, requiring the four people on board the ‘Mattie and Maren II’ to board a Coast Guard ship.

At the time, the Coast Guard reported four-to-six foot seas and 23 mile per hour winds.

The other boat involved was an 87-foot scalloper, ‘Vanquish.’ It’s home port is in New Bedford.

The Coast Guard initially received the distress call around 8:30 p.m. Thursday.

The cause of the collision is under investigation, according to a Coast Guard spokesperson.

 

Categories: News, Rhode Island

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