After the conclusion of the grand maritime celebration for the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, known as Sail4th 250, a rare maritime accident occurred in the waters near the Port of New York on the afternoon of the 4th. A rescue boat from the Carteret Fire Department in New Jersey, which had just completed security duties for the celebration and was on its way back, was struck at the stern by a whale leaping out from underneath the vessel, causing severe damage to the hull and quickly sinking the boat off the coast of Staten Island in Raritan Bay. The firefighters on board had only seconds to abandon the ship but fortunately all of them were wearing life jackets. With the help of nearby civilian vessels and other fire departments, they were safely rescued without any injuries.
The Carteret Fire Department stated that the accident occurred around 4:30 p.m. that day. The rescue boat, named “Marine Unit 2,” had just completed public safety and security missions in the waters of the Port of New York during the 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding, returning towards the entrance of Raritan Bay when a whale suddenly jumped out from underneath the boat, striking the stern and causing “catastrophic damage” to the vessel, leading to rapid flooding.
The fire department pointed out that the firefighters on board had only seconds to react and had to immediately abandon ship. Since all personnel were wearing life jackets as required, a Jet Ski rider and a leisure boat rushed to the rescue. They first saved the firefighters who fell into the water, and then they were picked up by the maritime rescue unit of the nearby Perth Amboy Fire Department and safely returned to shore, with no injuries reported.
In a statement, the Carteret Fire Department said, “The maritime rescue team regularly undergoes training for water rescues, ship fires, and other maritime emergencies, but no one could have predicted an event like this.” The department expressed that although the accident was frightening for everybody involved, they were grateful that all firefighters could safely return home to reunite with their families.
The fire department also revealed that a nearby leisure boat had reported a group of whales repeatedly leaping out of the water before and after the incident. Currently, it is unclear whether the whale that hit the ship was injured, the species of the whale involved, and the exact cause of the accident, which requires further investigation.
At the time of the accident, the fireboat had completed its security duties for Sail4th 250 celebration and was returning, and thus did not affect the ongoing activities or the safety of the people at the scene. The Carteret Fire Department stated that they would cooperate with relevant authorities to complete the accident investigation. As of now, the U.S. Coast Guard has not released the results of the accident investigation nor provided details on the salvage operations and financial losses following the sinking of the boat.