Disabled Fishing Vessel 12 miles Off Cape Hatteras, NC

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Coast Guard assisted five people aboard a 54-foot fishing boat Wednesday after the fishing boat became disabled and adrift approximately 12 miles south of Cape Hatteras, N.C.

The operator of the fishing boat Blue Fin contacted Coast Guard Sector North Carolina watchstanders at approximately 7 a.m. and requested assistance.

Sector North Carolina watchstanders issued a marine assistance request broadcast and did not receive a response. Since commercial assistance was unable to respond that far offshore, watchstanders dispatched a crew aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Block Island, a 110-foot patrol boat homeported in Atlantic Beach, N.C., to assist.

The Block Island and crew arrived on scene at approximately 10:30 a.m. and began towing the fishing boat to Oregon Inlet. The Blue Fin is expected to arrive at the Willie R. Etheridge Seafood Company in Wanchese, N.C., around 5 a.m. Thursday.