CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine — A fishing vessel ran aground early Saturday morning in Cape Elizabeth, just as a powerful storm system was arriving in Maine.
A mayday call was issued shortly after midnight, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed with NEWS CENTER Maine, and the Cape Elizabeth Fire-Rescue was able to get to the scene by about 1:20 a.m.
All four people onboard the Tara Lynn II, a 50-foot boat, were rescued by a skiff via a Water Extrication Team with the Cape Elizabeth Fire Department.
There was no information as of 3 p.m. whether any injuries were reported, and it was not clear yet why the crew was out in the storm at midnight.
A man who said he has repaired the boat often said the crew was returning from an offshore fishing trip. That information has not yet been independently confirmed by NEWS CENTER Maine. Two people who told onlookers they were on the boat declined to comment to NEWS CENTER Maine.
The Coast Guard was at the scene as well, with a 47-foot lifeboat, the agency said.
People who live near Trundy Point said the size of the waves is the largest they had seen in decades and that they had never seen the force of the astronomical high tide flood roads temporarily.
"Because of the little coast, things are usually protected. And most days down here, you never see the water come up this high," Patricia Callahan said. "Unbelievable. I've been down here in Cape 20 years, and I do a lot of filming down here. But I've never seen the ocean this wild and this ship. Unbelievable."
"This is a very rough area out here with lots of rocks, too. The waves breaking actually from two sides here. So it's probably the worst place a boat can end up right outside of here," Erik Heim, who lives nearby, said.
A man who said he has repaired that boat frequently in the past said it is a total loss. He said a local salvage company would attempt to save the boat.
Gov. Janet Mills urged all Mainers to stay home Saturday if possible.
"If you must travel, please avoid the Maine coastline and be cautious," Mills said Saturday in a statement. "Never walk through flowing water, drive through flooded areas, or drive around road barriers."
For the latest breaking news, weather, and traffic alerts, download the NEWS CENTER Maine mobile app.
