Coast Guard rescues 3 fishermen at mouth of Columbia River when vessel began taking on water

The Coast Guard rescued three commercial fishermen after their vessel began taking on water at the mouth of the Columbia River early Sunday morning. Coast Guard boat crews aboard 47-foot motor life boats, from Station Cape Disappointment in Ilwaco, Washington, assisted in dewatering the vessel and safely towing it into Skipanon Marina. Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector Columbia River received the mayday call from the captain of the fishing vessel Coastal Reign at 3:20 a.m., reporting they were taking on water from an unknown location after striking a submerged object. An aircrew aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter was immediately launched as were the MLBs. The aircrew arrived on scene first at 3:38 a.m. and the boat crews arrived shortly afterward. The crew aboard one of the MLBs passed a P-6 dewatering pump to the Coastal Reign and then put a crewmember aboard the vessel to help set it up. After dewatering the vessel, an MLB crew towed it to safety mooring it at 4:40 a.m. The sea conditions at the time of the rescue were 6-foot swells and the winds were about 15 mph from the west. A Captain of the Port order was placed on the Coastal Reign to ensure the damaged vessel is repaired properly and passes an inspection by a Coast Guard marine inspector before operating again. Listen to the May Day call  link 12:25

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