Crime & Safety
Portsmouth: Search Suspended For Boaters
The Narragansett Bay Marine Task Force searched along the Sakonnet River for a boat in distress after a digital distress signal went out.

PORTSMOUTH, RI — The Coast Guard and the Narragansett Bay Marine Task Force searched the Sakonnet River on Sunday afternoon for a boat in trouble. According to Petty Ofc. Amber Howie, with the Coast Guard's public affairs office in Boston, the search started after a digital distress call came over the radio. The source was a pleasure boat, and its location was somewhere south of the Sakonnet River Bridge. The Coast Guard sent a helicopter to search from the air, while the task force sent boats. Nothing was found and the search was suspended.
Petty Ofc. Howie said it was possible the call was made accidentally, if the button that sends the distress call was pressed by mistake. None of the boats out on the water matched the radio that sent the distress call.
Portsmouth/Tiverton: Marine Incident Crews searching the Sakonnet River for a possible vessel after an emergency distress signal was received. unknown vessel description. Ops on Wide Area 5
— Chris Palmer (@CJPFirePhotos) June 3, 2018
Image via Shutterstock
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