Thursday, 4:30 PM
Fire sinks sailboat off Plum Island
By Globe Staff
A New Hampshire man had to abandon his 33-foot sailboat this afternoon about a mile off Plum Island when the ship burst into flames, according to a statement from the Coast Guard.
William Lyon radioed at 12:45 p.m. asking for help. Listen to a recording of the mayday call by clicking here.
Before the Coast Guard arrived, he was rescued by a 19-foot powerboat. Lyon, of Seabrook, was not injured and declined medical treatment.
The sailboat sank in 33 feet of water, leaving a 50-foot-by-50-foot debris field and a light oil slick, according to the Coast Guard.
"This mariner's quick and appropriate use of his VHF marine radio enabled a rapid response," Petty Officer Second Class Dan Farina said in a statement. "We greatly appreciate the assistance of the fellow mariner, who may well have saved this man's life."
