The Atlantic Pioneer has been a familiar sight on Block Island waters for several years now, zipping back and forth between the island, the mainland and the Wind Farm as it carries wind farm employees to and from the turbines.
Its routine was disrupted on Friday, Sept. 4, when at 10:30 a.m. a mayday call went out on VHF Channel 16 from a 34-foot charter fishing vessel that was taking on water. The vessel, Wound Up, had six passengers and one crew member on board, according to a timeline provided by Rhode Island Fast Ferry, owners of the Atlantic Pioneer.
The Wound Up was about three-quarters of a mile from turbine number five. The Coast Guard responds to the mayday call saying it is dispatching vessels to the area and “requests assistance from nearby vessels.”
The Atlantic Pioneer happened to be at the Wind Farm making an equipment drop when the call came in. Capt. Chris Anderson and one other crew member, Mate Tom Patton, were on board. “Captain Anderson responds to mayday call, immediately proceeds to Wound Up to aid vessel in distress,” according to the timeline. The equipment drop is put on hold.
As they made
