Coast Guard responds to boat fire in Delaware Bay

CAPE MAY, N.J. — The Coast Guard responded to a vessel fire aboard an 80-foot yacht Tuesday in the Delaware Bay.

A fire broke out in the engine room of the Different Drummer II, while the crew was transiting from Annapolis, Md., to Boston.

The Different Drummer II had three adults aboard who were alerted to the engine room fire while they were transiting near the The Miah Maull Shoal Light, a lighthouse on the north side of the ship channel in Delaware Bay, southwest of the mouth of the Maurice River. They discovered black smoke in the engine room and engaged the boat's onboard halon fire fighting system, which left the yacht disabled and drifting into the main shipping channel.

The Coast Guard was notified of the incident at 1:55 p.m.

A 25-foot boat crew from Coast Guard Station Small Fortesque arrived on scene at 2:20 p.m., and a 45-foot boat crew from Coast Guard Station Cape May arrived on scene at 2:30 p.m.

The crew aboard the 45-foot Response Boat—Medium (RB—M) took the 100-gross-ton Different Drummer II in a stern tow, pulling it eight miles for more than two-and-a-half hours before transferring the duty to TowBoat U.S.

The Different Drummer II is homeported in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Station Cape May operates one of the Coast Guard's newest small boats that boasts an improved design, new ergonomics, and enhanced safety features, making boat crews more effective in performing their multiple missions. The RB-M is part of the Coast Guard’s plan to standardize and revitalize its shore-based boat fleet.