At 7:46 a.m., watchstanders at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Boston received a broken radio transmission from the F/V EILEEN RITA, a 90-foot vessel homeported in New Bedford, Massachusetts. They soon established communication with the captain, who confirmed the vessel had run aground on rocks near Green Island and was taking on water. The vessel began listing onto its side, prompting the three crew members to don survival suits and climb onto the gunwale, approximately 15 feet above the waterline while awaiting rescue.
Body camera footage released by police shows the crewmembers sliding down the side of the listing vessel and boarding a Boston Police boat. They were later evaluated by Boston EMS.
Two U.S. Coast Guard vessels responded to the scene to assist with the rescue. While monitoring the situation, U. S. Coast Guard personnel observed the F/V EILEEN RITA begin leaking diesel fuel and oil into the harbor. The vessel was believed to be carrying up to 4,000 gallons of diesel and 50 gallons of lubricating oil, raising environmental concerns. U.S. Coast Guard photos show the vessel partially submerged, leaning sharply to the port side, with an oily sheen spreading across the surrounding waters.
Pollution response teams from the U.S. Coast Guard and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) are on site. The vessel’s owner has hired a private company to deploy absorbent booms to help contain the spill, while contracted divers assess the wreckage to determine safe removal methods.
“The Coast Guard is working closely with the responsible party to mitigate fuel discharge,” said Lt. Cmdr. Alfred Betts, public affairs officer for Coast Guard Sector Boston. “Simultaneously, methods to safely remove the vessel from the island are being evaluated.”
The U.S. Coast Guard is coordinating the ongoing cleanup with DEP, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and other state agencies. The cause of the grounding remains under investigation.
Mariners operating near Green Island are advised to monitor U.S. Coast Guard Sector Boston’s safety marine information broadcasts on VHF Channel 22A for updates regarding navigation safety in the area.
According to company records, the F/V EILEEN RITA is one of five scallopers operated by New England Marine out of New Bedford and was built in 1990.