Fishing Vessel Sinks in New Jersey

The U.S. Coast Guard said it is monitoring the salvage of a partially-sunken commercial fishing vessel in Manasquan Inlet, N.J.

Watchstanders in the Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay command center received notification at 2 a.m. Saturday that the 44-foot fishing vessel Miss Kathleen allided with the northern Manasquan Inlet jetty and was taking on water with three people and a dog aboard.

The Miss Kathleen’s captain intentionally grounded the vessel on Dog Beach, about 20 yards outside the channel. No injuries were reported.

A Coast Guard 29-foot Response Boat-Small crew from Station Manasquan Inlet launched but could not transit the shallow water to reach the fishing vessel. A Manasquan Fire Department boat crew responded, took aboard the three men and dog, then transferred them to the Coast Guard boat crew.

The RB-S crew brought the men and dog to the station.

At 7 a.m., TowBoatUS personnel arrived on scene and secured boom around the Miss Kathleen as a precaution. There are reportedly 800 gallons of diesel on board the vessel, but no signs of sheen or pollution in the water.

"The Coast Guard is working with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to mitigate the environmental threat posed by the sunken vessel," said Capt. Scott Anderson, commander, Sector Delaware Bay.