BOSTON — The Coast Guard is responding to a collision involving a 477-foot oil tanker and three unmanned sailboats Wednesday afternoon near the mouth of the Piscataqua River, near Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Kittery, Maine.
No injuries or pollution have been reported.
At approximately 4 p.m. Coast Guard watchstanders were notified of the collision involving the tanker Chem Venus and the sailboats.
All three sailboats, which were unoccupied at anchorage, were damaged but remained afloat.
The Coast Guard launched two 47-foot Motor Lifeboats from Station Portsmouth Harbor and an HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft from Air Station Cape Cod to provide an overflight pollution assessment.
The Coast Guard is taking initial response actions to determine if there is any damage to the Chem Venus, and working to contact the owners of the sailboats.
The cause of the collision is under investigation.