Tugboat Sinks into Piscataqua River

UPDATED, 1:30 p.m.: A tugboat being used for the Memorial Bridge project sank to the bottom of the Piscataqua River on Wednesday morning after it took on water and was overwhelmed by the strong current.

Portsmouth Assistant Fire Chief Steve Achilles said Portsmouth firefighters responded to the scene along with the New Hampshire Marine Patrol and the Coast Guard shortly after 11:30 a.m., but the tugboat was underwater before they could get to it.

He said the tugboat's two crew members managed to get to safety after the tugboard was pinned against one of the Archer Western Contractors Memorial Bridge project construction piers.

Archer Western Contractors crews managed to use a barge crane to pull up the tugboat's life raft and some barrels as NH Marine Patrol and Coast Guard boats continued to patrol the area hoping to locate the vessel.

They along with the Portsmouth Fire Department and Pepperell Cove Marina of Kittery, Maine were engaged in a salvage operation to try and pull the tugboat back to the surface on Wednesday afternoon.

The incident was very similar to another tugboat that nearly sank in the river in February 2011. The Miss Stacy took on water after the currents pinned it against the construction pier, but was towed to safety by one of the Eugenia of Moran Towing.

Earlier story: The U.S. Coast Guard and the Portsmouth Fire Department are responding to a report of a capsized tugboat in the Piscataqua River.

The initial report of a tugboat on its side came in around 11:45 a.m., according to emergency radio communications. The tugboat is reportedly in the area of 1 Harbour Place.

Initial reports are that the tugboat is now submerged, but that all of the occupants are off the boat.