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Coast Guard rescues man aboard sinking vessel near HRBT

Posted at 4:43 PM, Aug 26, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-26 16:43:14-04

PORTSMOUTH, Va. – The Coast Guard rescued a man from a vessel taking on water near the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads in Portsmouth received a call from the man’s wife at about midnight. She said her husband had called her to say his boat’s batter had died, his cell phone was dying and the boat was taking on water.

Crews located the man and found he was maintaining the water using a hand pump, but was adrift.

The crews transferred the man onto a rescue boat and towed the vessel to Willoughby boat ramp.

No one was injured.

“Because the individual told his wife where he was going to be, filed a float plan, our crews were able to quickly locate and assist the man by narrowing the search area,” said Petty Officer First Class, Rachel Davis, duty watchstander at Sector Hampton Roads.