Coast Guard Rescues 3 Fishermen Whose Ship Sank in Maine’s Boothbay Harbor

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued three people from the water approximately 23 miles south of Boothbay Harbor in Maine on Wednesday morning.

The Coast Guard Station Boothbay Harbor crew reported they located the vessel at 9:01 a.m. and rescued three mariners from the water. One mariner reported minor hypothermia, while the other two had no reported injuries, the Coast Guard said.

The Coast Guard’s northern New England command center received a mayday call at 7:03 a.m. from the crew of a sinking 40′ ridge liner vessel, Vesta Renee. The mariners reported that the vessel was taking on water and that they intended to abandon ship. They did not have a life raft or personal flotation devices, according to the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard immediately launched a motor lifeboat crew from its Boothbay station as well as an Ocean Sentry and Jayhawk helicopter aircrews from Cape Cod.

“Our crews are constantly training for situations like this so they can respond as quickly as possible when lives are at risk,” said Lt. Jeanpierre Freeman. “Because of that preparation and the crew’s fast response, all three fishermen were recovered from the water within minutes of arriving on scene.”

Photo: The Coast Guard rescued the crew of the sinking 40′ vessel Vesta Renee in Boothbay Harbor in Maine on March 12, 2026. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

Topics Maine