Coast Guard, Navy assist  fishermen off Oregon Inlet

The Coast Guard and Navy assisted two stricken fishing boat crews Monday approximately 35 miles east of Oregon Inlet.

Coast Guard Sector North Carolina watchstanders in Wilmington received a report at about 2:40 p.m. Monday that the fishing boat Captain David, with three people aboard, was towing the disabled fishing boat Miss Kaylie, with two people aboard, when the Captain David also became disabled. Both boats began taking on water.

Sector North Carolina watchstanders in Wilmington issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast (UMIB), while a 47-foot Motor Lifeboat crew launched from Station Oregon Inlet.

The crew of the Navy warship, USS Carter Hall, responded to the UMIB, arrived on scene and launched a boat crew to assist the fishermen. Crews were not able to keep up with the flooding aboard Captain David but managed to keep flooding under control aboard Miss Kaylie.

The Navy crew took the three survivors from the Captain David aboard the Carter Hall. The Coast Guard 47-foot MLB crew arrived on scene and passed a dewatering pump to the two survivors aboard the Miss Kaylie, then took the disabled boat in tow. The fishermen worked to keep the boat from flooding while the Coast Guard towed them.

The Navy crew aboard Carter Hall escorted the Coast Guard MLB crew as the Coast Guard towed Miss Kaylie toward Oregon Inlet. The MLB crew arrived at Oregon Inlet with Miss Kaylie in tow at approximately 4:05 a.m. Tuesday.

The Captain David is believed to have sunk.

Conditions during the case included winds at 20-30 mph, sea swells at 8-10 feet with occasional swells at 12-14 feet and temperatures in the low 40s.

“We’re thankful the USS Carter Hall crew was there to help us locate the Miss Kaylie once we arrived on scene,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Travis Green, Coast Guard crew member aboard the MLB. “We faced numerous navigational challenges due to the sea state and lack of visibility. The Navy crew relayed to us the position of the disabled vessel and lit it up for us with their spot lights. We were thankful to have their support as we towed the boat and fishermen back to port.”