A fishing vessel has sunk after colliding with a pilot boat on the James River at the Port of Virginia on Tuesday morning.
The U.S. Coast Guard says it was alerted at 7:50 a.m. that the pilot boat, Swift, and a 38-foot deadrise-style fishing vessel, Miss Heather, had collided near the Newport News Small Boat Harbor, in the vicinity of the Newport News Channel.
The two fishermen from the Miss Heather were taken aboard the Swift to shore as the fishing vessel rapidly took on water.
A 45-foot Response Boat – Medium from Coast Guard Station Portsmouth and a rescue boat crew from the Newport News Fire Department were sent to assist. The fire department personnel marked the area with a red buoy and last reported the fishing vessel was breaking apart and drifting.
The Station Portsmouth boat crew escorted the pilot boat into the harbor where awaiting emergency medical services personnel were standing by to evaluate the fishing boat’s crew.
No injuries were reported.
Not word yet on the cause of the collision.
The Coast Guard is coordinating with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to remove the sunken vessel.
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