Fishermen Rescued Off Sinking Boat

The Coast Guard rescued three fishermen from their sinking boat off Gardiner's Island just before it sank on Monday afternoon.

At 3:45 p.m., Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound in New Haven, Conn., received a distress call from a crewmember aboard the 41-foot commercial fishing vessel "Robert James," based out of Groton, Conn. The vessel was taking on water and it was sinking fast, the Coast Guard said.

The fishermen were told to put on their lifejackets. Winds were blowing 20 to 25 mph and seas were 3 feet.

A 47-foot motor life boat rescue crew from Coast Guard Station Montauk arrived to find the fishermen clinging to the bow at about 4:15 p.m. The boat was partly submerged in the water.

After the fishermen were rescued, the boat sank, the Coast Guard said.

“Our boatcrew responded quickly to the request for assistance, transferring the three fishermen onto our boat,” Petty Officer 2nd Class Brent Walsh said the 47-foot Motor Life Boat operator. “Once the fishermen were safely on board and not in need of medical attention, we determined it unsafe to transfer our boatcrew over to dewater the partially submerged vessel due to hazardous sea conditions.”

No one was injured. No pollution was reported.