CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. - The United States Coast Guard says it assisted five people stuck on a disabled vessel on the Chincoteague Bay in Wednesday’s early hours.
Coast Guard watchstanders were reportedly notified of a 21-foot pontoon boat suffering from engine failure just after midnight last night. A Coast Guard boatcrew was launched to assist the pontoon, which was reportedly near Mosquito Creek in an area difficult to navigate.
“Our crew was able to get on scene with the pontoon, assess the operational picture and prevent the situation from deteriorating into something more severe,” said Senior Chief Petty Officer Conor Bennett, Station Chincoteague officer-in-charge.
Bennett said the Coast Guard recommends boaters take free boating safety classes that cover topics such as proper safety gear, boating traffic rules, and maritime emergencies.
The Coast Guard said in a statement they took the five boaters to a nearby campground with no reported injuries.