Coast Guard Rescues 9 Off Gloucester from Canadian Tall Ship
Bangor Daily News | Mar 31, 2015 | by Judy Harrison
The U.S. Coast Guard on Monday rescued nine crewmembers from the Canadian tall ship Liana's Ransom, 58 miles east of Gloucester, Massachusetts, according to information posted on the Coast Guard's website.
The Sector Boston Command Center learned at 12:35 a.m. that the vessel's engines were disabled and its sails were wrapped around the mast, a news release stated. Search and rescue crews from Station Gloucester, Air Station Cape Cod, both in Massachusetts, and the Coast Guard Cutter Ocracoke responded.
As the weather deteriorated and seas reached nearly 10 feet, two 47-foot motor lifeboat crews from Gloucester attempted to tow the vessel back to that station but the rough sea conditions caused the tow line to break, according to the release.
The lifeboat crews directed those onboard Liana's Ransom to don immersion suits and prepare to abandon ship about 30 miles east of Gloucester, the Coast Guard said. A Coast MH-60 Jayhawk Helicopter from Air Station Cape Cod was sent to assist.
The nine passengers were transferred from the tall ship to the Coast Guard motor lifeboats. One man suffered a head injury when leaping from Liana's Ransom and was airlifted to Massachusetts General Hospital by the helicopter crew.
The Gloucester crews returned to the station with the eight remaining crewmembers. A locator beacon was left on Liana's Ransom for tracking and the Coast Guard Cutter Ocracoke was to evaluate towing the vessel to port.
"It was fortunate for the crew of the vessel that the owner reached out to us," said Jay Woodhead, command duty officer at Sector Boston's Command Center. He said with winds gusting to 30 knots, it was unsafe for them to stay aboard.
http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/03/31/coast-guard-rescues-9-off-gloucester-from-canadian-tall-ship.html?comp=7000023468292&rank=2
