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July 19, 2010
Coast Guard and good Samaritans rescue
three fishermen from sinking boat off Ocracoke
 Coast
Guard crews and good Samaritans rescued three fishermen after their
fishing vessel began taking on water and sank Monday, July 19, in the
Pamlico Sound northeast of the Brant Island Shoal.
Crew from the good Samaritan fishing vessel, Miss Kelly, relayed a
mayday call to Sector North Carolina watch-standers at 6:10 a.m. on
Monday that the 58-foot commercial shrimper, Cracker Boy, was taking on
water, and the water level was already above the engines.
One fisherman from the Cracker Boy was transferred to the Miss Kelly while the other two remained aboard.
Two 25-foot Response Boat – Small crews from Station Ocracoke and
Station Hobucken, Station Hobucken’s 41-foot Utility Boat crew, and
Station Hatteras Inlet’s 47-foot Motor Life Boat crew launched to
assist.
The Station Ocracoke crew arrived on scene at 7:16 a.m. and used
de-watering pumps to try and keep up with the flooding. Another good
Samaritan, the 50-foot fishing vessel Morning Star, arrived at the same
time and attempted to tow the Cracker Boy but was unable.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Matt Harris from Station Hatteras Inlet was aboard the sinking vessel when a wave came over the boat.
The roll was slow, and Harris never felt like he was in any danger,
said Chief Petty Officer Arnold Head, executive office in charge of
Station Hatteras Inlet.
The vessel quickly sank after taking the wave and rolling.
The remaining two fishermen and Harris were rescued by the Station
Hobucken and Station Hatteras Inlet small response boat crews. The
fishermen were transferred to the Morning Star. The crew member from
the Miss Kelly also transferred to the Morning Star, whose crew took
them to Pamlico Point.
The vessel Cracker Boy sank in position 35 degrees 09.74 minutes north
latitude and 076 degrees 14.84 minutes west longitude in approximately
20 feet of water.
The Station Ocracoke crew has marked the sunken vessel with a buoy.
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