Coast Guard rescues 2 fishermen from sinking boat

By Kate Augusto, Globe Correspondent

Two fishermen made a narrow escape this morning when the Coast Guard rescued them from a boat minutes before it sank.

The two men were 3 miles south of Gloucester on a 42-foot trawler when they radioed at 7:30 a.m. because the boat was “taking water,” said Petty Officer Luke Pinneo. The Coast Guard plucked the two men off the boat at 7:50 a.m. One minute later, the trawler tipped on its side. By 8:15 a.m., the boat slipped beneath the 3- to 5-feet waves.

"They did the right thing," Pinneo said. "They found themselves in trouble, they had a radio on board that worked and they knew how to use it and they did."

Spring is a dangerous time on the water, and mariners were urged to use caution.

"The environment can trick you," Pinneo said. "The weather and air temperature seem like they're warming up slightly but as far as the oceans concerned, it's still winter."

The two fishermen refused medical treatment. The Coast Guard did not release their names, but the Gloucester Times identified them as Captain Matteo Ferrara, 52, and mate Joseph Lucido, 54.

The Coast Guard plans to investigate why the boat sank, Pinneo said.

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