VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WVEC) -- The Coast Guard assisted four people after their vessel began taking on water Saturday in Lynnhaven Roads near Virginia Beach.
Coast Guard officials say a call came in around 8:48 p.m. via marine radio from the distressed boaters stating that their 26-foot pleasure craft was rapidly taking on water near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, about two miles from shore.
The boaters said the plug was missing from their vessel and were concerned about the boat capsizing.
Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads diverted a 45-foot response boat from Coast Guard Station Little Creek at 8:50 p.m. The crew arrived on the scene at 9:03 p.m., along with a Virginia Beach Fire Department Marine Operations crew.
Two members of the Coast Guard were deployed from the response boat, along with a dewatering pump around 9:05 p.m. The flooding was reportedly under control at 9:12 p.m., Coast Guard officials say.
The Coast Guard escorted the pleasure craft to the Marina Shores Marina, arriving at 9:40 p.m.
Carla Harsch, lead command center controller at Sector Hampton Roads, issued the following statement:
Preparation is key any time you go out on the water, even if you plan to stay within a couple miles of shore. The fact that these boaters had a VHF marine radio on board helped them immensely. As soon as they put that broadcast out there, multiple boats in the area responded, willing to help.
