NORTH WILDWOOD – A 60-foot wooden vessel with six people onboard, including the captain, ran aground in Hereford Inlet, in North Wildwood, April 17. Several agencies worked together to respond to the pleasure boat as it took on water. All individuals aboard were safely evacuated.
Several members of the North Wildwood Fire Department responded to the scene with a boat, a wave runner, and a ladder truck. The Wildwood Fire Department assisted with North Wildwood’s incident response. The Wildwood Fire Department said that “a great coordinated effort by all agencies involved was key in quickly removing all those onboard.”
Firefighters laid ladders from the shore to the boat to assist in the evacuation process. Until the vessel could be salvaged, it was moored to prevent a complete capsize. The boat appeared to have taken on water through a gash that ran the length of the port side of the hull.
The U.S. Coast Guard Station Cape May responded to the situation after evacuees were safely ashore. They noted recent interagency conversations about the hazards present in the inlet due to its constantly shifting bottom.
According to Sea Tow Cape May, the company worked with Northstar Marine and Tow Boat US to dewater the vessel. Sea Tow Cape May then towed it around the north end of the island to Schooner’s Marina for an emergency haul out.
Lynne Dinunzio commented on Sea Tow’s Facebook post regarding the incident. She wrote, “My husband and I are the owners of this boat… If not for our wonderful Captain, we might not have made it to safety. The heavy winds and heavy chop snapped a plank in the hull and the rest is history. We are grateful to the police and responders for all of their help.”
