Local Vessels Save Passengers in Boat Fire off of Hatteras Inlet By JOY CRIST

By JOY CRIST

By JOY CRIST

At approximately 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 21, a boat fire was reported onboard the charter boat Twisted Tuna. The fire occurred 19 miles southeast of Hatteras Inlet, and two local vessels that were in the vicinity, the Predator and the Brother’s Pride, assisted and rescued all nine people aboard, which included six passengers and three crew members.

All nine passengers were safely taken back to the Village Marina in Hatteras where they were released without injury. The cause of the fire is currently unknown, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

“It was not a good situation, but the Brother’s Pride got there just in time to get the folks who were overboard, and brought them back to shore” said Dana Caudill of the Village Marina. “Fortunately, watermen tend to never leave anyone behind.”

Craig Sanders, operations unit controller at Sector North Carolina of the U.S. Coast Guard, says that boaters should stay out of the area where the fire occurred, in case the vessel is still afloat.