The duty watch-stander at Coast Guard Station Oregon Inlet received a distress call Sunday morning via CH 16 from an 80-foot trawler taking on water.
The vessel, about 12.8 miles southeast of Oregon Inlet, had two pumps on board but could not keep up with the water as they already had a reported two-feet on board, the Coast Guard said in a Facebook post.
Once on scene, a 47-foot motor life boat crew passed P6 dewatering pumps over to the vessel. With the pumps working and water under control, the vessel began heading toward the inlet along with the Coast Guard crew.
“While en route to the inlet, the vessel once again experienced difficulty in dewatering their bilge, and it appeared as if even the P6 pumps weren’t going to be enough to stop the water entirely,” the Coast Guard said.
A Coast Guard helicopter from Air Station Elizabeth City was dispatched to hoist two additional pumps down the crew to assist in dewatering.
“Fortunately, these pumps were enough and the vessel was able to control their flooding until they made in into the inlet with our crew,” the Coast Guard said.
They were towed by the motor life boat the rest of the way after experiencing complications to their propulsion and brought safely to Wanchese harbor.
“Thankfully, everyone arrived safely. Bravo Zulu team on an eventful case!”