Coast Guard rescues pair of fishermen off Fishers Island Sunday

Crewmembers from Coast Guard Station New London rescued two fishermen after they abandoned a sinking commercial fishing vessel near Fishers Island Sunday morning.

The Coast Guard received a radio call from the crew of the 55-foot boat based out of Hampton Bays saying their vessel was taking on water in one of its fish holds at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, according to a Coast Guard press release.

The two men donned survival suits as their vessel continued to head toward Fishers Island amid 8 to 10-foot seas, the Coast Guard said.

Coast Guard boats arrived from both Montauk and New London, with the latter attempting to pump the water out of the fishing vessel. Once it became clear around 9:30 a.m. that the flooding was outpacing the pumping, the two men abandoned ship and were rescued by the Coast Guard crew.

The fishing boat capsized a minute later, sinking in about 60 feet of water, the Coast Guard said.

“This incident highlights how critical it is to have appropriate safety gear, emergency radio beacons, life jackets, and survival suits,” Lt. Cmdr. Jesse Diaz, search and rescue mission coordinator for Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound, said in a statement. “Anything can go wrong at sea, even if you’re a professional mariner. The safety gear saved the lives of these crewmembers today.”