NEW YORK — Crewmembers from Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook rescued three people in distress near Sea Bright, New Jersey, Tuesday.
At approximately 3:30 p.m., watchstanders at Sector New York received a call from Boat Owners Association of the United States (BoatUS) that a vessel with three people aboard was taking on water.
Sector New York Command Center issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast and launched a Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook rescue boatcrew.
At 4:00 p.m., crewmembers aboard a Coast Guard 47-foot Motor Life Boat arrived on scene to find the individuals in life jackets aboard a disabled 24-foot white pleasure craft.
There was a foot of water in their bilge and both on board bilge pumps were not operating. The rescue boatcrew passed over a portable dewatering pump to alleviate the flooding.
The portable pump was able to keep up with the flooding and the pleasure craft was then put in a stern tow en route to Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey.
The Coast Guard urges boaters to ensure all their equipment is operating properly before getting underway. Make sure radios, fire extinguishers, life jackets, pumps, and lights, for example, are properly stored and available for use.