10-01-2007, 09:26 AM
East Lyme — A charter fishing boat based in Niantic struck a group of rocks at the mouth of Niantic Bay Saturday, forcing evacuation of all its passengers.
The 65-foot Black Hawk II appeared to have hit a cluster of rocks due west of Millstone Point shortly before 2 p.m. Saturday as the vessel was headed out for its second trip of the day. With the help of nearby recreational boaters, the 29 paying customers onboard the fishing boat were taken safely to shore. No one was injured in the accident.
A Coast Guard official said the Black Hawk II would be refloated at the next high tide, which was at 12:30 a.m. today.
Passengers described the scene on the boat after the accident as calm. The boat wasn't going that fast when it hit the rocks, they said. Passengers estimated it took approximately 20 minutes to get off the vessel.
“We were only in six inches of water, I mean, where you going to go?” said Mike Feltt.
“It's not going to ruin my day,” said one passenger, who asked not to be named. “I'm back on solid ground — that's all I care about.”
When Jaime Fonseca, of Waterbury, was forced to get off the boat, he had to leave his fishing rod and tackle box on board. “I'm waiting for someone to call me tomorrow,” Fonseca said.
Fonseca and many of the other passengers waited for several hours to receive word from someone at the charter company about getting their money back. A company representative told those waiting to fill out paperwork with their names and addresses to receive a refund.
Gary Haney works as a captain on the Black Hawk II but was not on the boat Saturday. He said he was in contact with the boat's owner, Greg Dubrule, who told Haney the boat was damaged but not in danger of sinking.
Dubrule also was not piloting the boat at the time of the accident. He was unavailable for comment.
At low tide the boat was entirely out of the water with the exception of a very small section of the boat's stern.
TowBoat US and Sea Tow, commercial salvage companies, as well as the Coast Guard, Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection and the Goshen Fire Department responded to the scene.
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The 65-foot Black Hawk II appeared to have hit a cluster of rocks due west of Millstone Point shortly before 2 p.m. Saturday as the vessel was headed out for its second trip of the day. With the help of nearby recreational boaters, the 29 paying customers onboard the fishing boat were taken safely to shore. No one was injured in the accident.
A Coast Guard official said the Black Hawk II would be refloated at the next high tide, which was at 12:30 a.m. today.
Passengers described the scene on the boat after the accident as calm. The boat wasn't going that fast when it hit the rocks, they said. Passengers estimated it took approximately 20 minutes to get off the vessel.
“We were only in six inches of water, I mean, where you going to go?” said Mike Feltt.
“It's not going to ruin my day,” said one passenger, who asked not to be named. “I'm back on solid ground — that's all I care about.”
When Jaime Fonseca, of Waterbury, was forced to get off the boat, he had to leave his fishing rod and tackle box on board. “I'm waiting for someone to call me tomorrow,” Fonseca said.
Fonseca and many of the other passengers waited for several hours to receive word from someone at the charter company about getting their money back. A company representative told those waiting to fill out paperwork with their names and addresses to receive a refund.
Gary Haney works as a captain on the Black Hawk II but was not on the boat Saturday. He said he was in contact with the boat's owner, Greg Dubrule, who told Haney the boat was damaged but not in danger of sinking.
Dubrule also was not piloting the boat at the time of the accident. He was unavailable for comment.
At low tide the boat was entirely out of the water with the exception of a very small section of the boat's stern.
TowBoat US and Sea Tow, commercial salvage companies, as well as the Coast Guard, Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection and the Goshen Fire Department responded to the scene.
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