Students from the College of the Atlantic are credited with helping to save two fishermen whose fishing vessel caught fire this morning in the vicinity of Mount Desert Rock.
“At approximately 9:15 a.m., Station Southwest Harbor received a mayday call on Channel 16 reporting a fishing vessel on fire with two persons on board,” the Coast Guard said.
The boat was approximately 18 miles offshore at the time of the mayday call. The Coast Guard has not released the name of the boat or the name of the people on it.
“The duty SAR (search and rescue) crew swiftly responded on board the motor lifeboat 47311. While en route, the two fishermen had abandoned their boat and were recovered by members of the College of the Atlantic who were conducting research on Mount Desert Rock,” the Coast Guard reported.
When the lifeboat met up with the College of the Atlantic students and the fishermen, Coast Guard members brought the fishermen onto the lifeboat and back to their family members who were waiting at the Southwest Harbor Coast Guard Station.
College of the Atlantic Dean of Communications Rob Levin confirmed that COA students were involved in the rescue.
The Southwest Harbor-Tremont Ambulance crew checked everyone as well.
Mount Desert Rock is the location of the Edward McC. Blair Marine Research Station.
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