Coast Guard rescues 44 from breakwater in Provincetown

USCG Press Release

The Coast Guard, Provincetown Har­bor­master, and TowBoatUS Province­town responded Sunday, 5/28, to 44 people stranded on a breakwall near MacMillans Pier in Provincetown.

The local fire department alerted watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England to the situation at 1:47 p.m, and reported a good Samaritan observed a large group of people stranded on the breakwall due to Sunday’s astro­nomically high tides.

It was also reported that six people were in the water after two people fell in and four others attempted to pull them out.

A response boat crew from Coast Guard Station Provincetown, the harbormaster, and a TowBoatUS boat crew all responded to get the people out of the water and off the breakwall. Responders from the Provincetown Police Department, the Provincetown Fire Department, and Provincetown EMS and Rescue also responded.

Due to the shallow depth of the rescue location, the harbormaster and TowBoatUS crews used their boats to recover the people, who were then transferred aboard the Coast Guard boat. The Coast Guard boat then took the people to shore where emergency medical service personnel were waiting to assist as needed.

“The harbormaster and TowBoatUS crews did a great job responding to so many people in need of help, and we were happy to assist. It was an unorthodox response, but in the end, everyone is safe on shore,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Brain Glora, the coxswain of the Coast Guard response boat.

All 44 people were rescued, some with minor injuries reported. The Long Point Breakwater is a mile long jetty that is a popular walking route to Long Point. Parts of the breakwater are low enough to flood at high tide regularly.

With the higher-than-usual tides this weekend, and the holiday bringing more people who are unfamiliar with the area, a lot of people were taken by surprise.

 

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