Water began flooding through a broken light fixture on the bow of the 34-foot survey vessel Michele Jeanne and its bilge pumps were unable to keep up. A rescue boat crew from Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook was on scene within 16 minutes after receiving the initial call.
“We sent over a dewatering pump and two of my crew members to assist the operator of the boat,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Albert Leggett, the Station Sandy Hook rescue boat’s coxswain. “While we dewatered the boat, the Coast Guard Cutter Line came alongside and sent over three of their crew on the cutter’s small boat. They were able to patch the hole and the Line escorted the vessel to Elizabeth, N.J.”
There were no reports of injury or pollution. The operator of the vessel was wearing a lifejacket at the time of the incident.
Video is available at the following link:
http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php?g2_itemId=444598
