Coast Guard Rescues Five from Boat Sinking Off Cape May

CAPE MAY – The Coast Guard rescued five people from a 34-foot center console boat taking on water about 35 miles east of Cape May June 29.
A person aboard the boat contacted Coast Guard watchstanders via VHF-FM radio at about noon and reported his boat was taking on water.
A 45-foot Response Boat — Medium crew from Coast Guard Station Cape May, an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City and the crew aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Dependable, homeported in Cape May, responded to the distress call.
Once on scene, Petty Officer 1st Class Jesse Duane, a crewmember aboard the RB—M, went aboard the sinking boat with a dewatering pump to try and control the flooding.
“When we got on scene, there was about 3 feet of water in the boat,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Kyle Eicher, the coxswain aboard the RB—M. “The aircrew lowered a second pump down to Seaman Jeremy Brown and Fireman Justin Johnson, who were aboard our boat, as a back up.”
“Once we got the flooding under control, we escorted the boat to Schooner Island Marina,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael Haws, a crewmember aboard the RB—M. “We didn’t know if we would be needing the second pump, but we were ready if we did.”
The people who were aboard the sinking boat had no reported injuries.