WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1: A local fishing vessel with three men on board narrowly escaped a “dire situation” offshore this morning, according to Bermuda Maritime Operations.

The 32ft Luhr No Man’s Land was a quarter full of water when crew called for help.

A Maritime Operations spokesman said:?“We received a distress call at 10.20am from a local fishing boat, reporting they were rapidly taking on water. They were five nautical miles (5.8m) northeast of Town Cut.”

The police boat Heron III was tasked from St. George’s Harbour. A Bermuda Yacht Service workboat also proceeded to the distress position.

The police boat transferred a pump to the fishing vessel, which was able to continue to St. George’s harbour under its own power.

The boat was safely alongside shore nearly an hour later, and taken out of the water at Meyers slip.

The spokesman said:?“The crew were pretty nervous when they called. The water’s cold right now and it wouldn’t have been a pleasant time to take a swim.”

He said the boat probably flooded because of a technical fault with its engine intake.