Skiff Capsizes Off Eastport, Coast Guard Rescues Crew [VIDEO]
Four people were rescued Tuesday after their 14-foot skiff capsized in Deep Cove near Eastport.
In all, five people were sent into the 39-degree water. One was able to swim to shore, according to a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard.
A good Samaritan called 911 at about 2 p.m. to report the incident.
Rescue crews aboard the 45-foot response boat arrived on scene and found one man on top of the overturned skiff, and two men and one woman holding onto it in the water.
The Coast Guard crews pulled the four people aboard the response boat and took them to shore where they transferred their care to Downeast Emergency Medical Services personnel.
"Because we already had a boat crew training nearby, our response time was significantly decreased, " Petty Officer 1st Class Nathan Holt, the executive petty officer of Station Eastport. "None of the people in the cold water were wearing life jackets or dry suits, so getting them out of the water quickly was critical. We very strongly recommend mariners wear weather-appropriate protective gear when boating in cold weather, as hypothermia can occur in minutes."
Another boater towed the capsized skiff to the Federal Marine Terminal in Eastport.