ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Coast Guard is assisting a disabled 45-foot commercial fishing boat 98 miles northwest of Tampa Bay, Florida, Wednesday.
At approximately 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, watchstanders from Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg received a radio call, via VHF-FM channel 16, from the captain of the commercial fishing vessel, Christie Sea, stating the boat was disabled, taking on water and also towing an unmanned boat, the Shamrock.
An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Florida, and the crew aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Alligator, homeported in St. Petersburg, were launched.
At approximately 3 a.m. the Jayhawk crew arrived on scene and made contact with the captain of the Christie Sea. The captain stated there were no medical concerns or distress.
The Jayhawk crew stayed on scene until approximately 9 a.m., when the Alligator arrived. Coast Guard engineers, aboard the Alligator, were transferred to the Christie Sea and determined repairs could not be made on the water.
At approximately 10:15 a.m. the Alligator crew placed Christie Sea and Shamrock in tandem tow to John’s Pass, Florida.
The owner of the vessels plans to send another fishing vessel, the Neptune, to rendezvous with the Alligator approximately seven miles west of John's Pass, to assist at around 8 p.m.