BOSTON — The Coast Guard responded to a grounded fishing vessel in Woods Hole Pass near Woods Hole, Mass., July 18, 2016.
At approximately 11:45 a.m., Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England received a VHF-FM Channel 16 radio call from the 67-foot stern trawler fishing vessel, Hope & Sydney, that they were hard aground in Woods Hole Pass.
Minutes after receiving the call, a 45-foot Coast Guard rescue boat from Station Woods Hole was launched and members of the Buzzards Bay Marine Task Force were notified.
When the Coast Guard rescue boat arrived on scene, Hope & Sydney crewmembers were found safe and uninjured. The vessel had approximately 5,000 gallons of diesel fuel aboard and no signs of fuel in the water were reported.
The Coast Guard monitored the situation throughout the afternoon and was ready to assist the crewmembers if needed. As the tide came in Hope & Sydney refloated herself and was able to sail free on her own power at 3:45 p.m. The fishing vessel has 2500 pounds of squid aboard and is homeported in Point Judith, RI.
"We are pleased that the fishermen reached out to us for help and we were standing by to assist,” said Operations Specialist First Class Michelle Crocker from Sector Southeastern New England's Command Center, “A good day is when we are ultimately not needed, and the crew can transit home with their catch under their own power.”
Photo available upon request.