PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 11, 2026
The U.S. Coast Guard rescued three fishermen who had abandoned a sinking vessel off the Maine coast Wednesday morning. A mayday call was received around 7 a.m. from the Vesta Renee, the Coast Guard said in a news release. The mariners reported that they were preparing to abandon ship as it took on water. Coast Guard crews launched a motorboat from the Boothbay Harbor station about 10 minutes later, along with a helicopter from the Cape Cod air station, the Coast Guard said. The 40-foot vessel was located about 23 miles south of Boothbay Harbor around 9 a.m, the Coast Guard said. The three fishermen were rescued from the water soon after. The vessel did not have a life raft or personal flotation device.