4 rescued from sinking boat near Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel
Four people, including a child, were rescued Sunday from a sinking boat at Thimble Shoal South Island, also known as First Island, near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, the U.S. Coast Guard reported.
The crew of the 22-foot recreational vessel contacted Coast Guard Sector Virginia Command Center at approximately 12:40 p.m. Sunday stating they were disabled, taking on water and drifting toward the bridge, the Coast Guard said in a release.
The command center lost communication with the sinking vessel but was guided to the location by a good Samaritan who had contact with the boat while another good Samaritan assisted by pulling them away from the rocks.
A Coast Guard Station Little Creek 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew rescued the people from the vessel that had two feet of water on deck, the release said.
Two station crew members then began dewatering efforts and brought the vessel in a side tow toward Lynnhaven. Coast Guard Cutter Angela McShan was in the area and provided a back-up pump to the Virginia Beach Police who brought it to the station crew as a precaution.
Once in Lynnhaven, the mariners were transferred to a Virginia Beach Police boat and the Virginia Beach Fire Department towed the boat to a nearby boat ramp.
The rescued boaters were taken to Lynnhaven Boat Ramp with no reported injuries, the release said.
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This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: 4 rescued from sinking boat near Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel
