PORTSMOUTH, Va. – The Coast Guard helped four distressed boaters after their vessel started to take water in Lynnhaven Roads on Saturday.
Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads watchstanders received a call via marine radio from the boaters at 8:48 p.m., stating their boat was rapidly filling with water close to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, about two miles from the shore.
The distressed boaters told watchstanders the plug was missing from their boat and they were worried about the boat capsizing.
Watchstanders sent a crew from Coast Guard Station Little Creek at 8:50 p.m. Crews arrived just after 9 p.m.
A Virginia Beach Fire Department Marine Operations crew also responded to the scene.
Two members of the Response Boat-Medium crew began dewatering the boat around 9:05 p.m. The flooding was under control at 9:12 p.m.
The Coast Guard Crew took the boat to Marina Shores Marine around 9:40 p.m.
“Preparation is key any time you go out on the water, even if you plan to stay within a couple miles of shore,” said Carla Harsch, lead command center controller at Sector Hampton Roads. “The fact that these boaters had a VHF marine radio on board helped them immensely. As soon as they put that broadcast out there, multiple boats in the area responded, willing to help.”
