Coast Guard boats collide, four injured
by U.S. Coast Guard 1st District Northeast 6 Sep 2018 20:00 PDT
Two U.S. Coast Guard tactical boat crews collided Wednesday at approximately 1:30 p.m., off Falmouth during a tactical training evolution.
The 29-foot tactical boat crews were involved in maneuvers and training when they collided in Buzzards Bay and four crew members were injured.
Both boats returned to Station Woods Hole under their own power to meet with Falmouth Emergency Medical Services, who transported the injured to Falmouth Hospital for evaluation.
Their injuries were reported as non-life threatening.
"The safety of our crew is a top priority and we are grateful the injuries were not more serious," said Lt. Cmdr. Anna Hart, commanding officer of the Maritime Safety and Security Team Cape Cod. "While high-speed and tactical maneuvers are normal operations for our skilled team, we will take the lessons learned today and apply them in our future evolutions."
The cause of the incident is under investigation.
MSST Cape Cod consists of 51 service members employing six 29-foot response boats, a remote operated vehicle and additional law enforcement equipment. As part of the U.S. Coast Guard's Deployable Specialized Forces, MSST Cape Cod is designed to safeguard the public and protect vessels, harbors, ports, facilities and cargo.