Coast Guard to remove Maine fishing boat that sank in January storm

The U.S. Coast Guard has agreed to remove a 60-foot sardine boat that sank in the New Meadows River near Dingley Island during a severe coastal storm on Jan. 10 .

According to a memo from Harpswell Harbor Master Paul Plummer dated July 9, the owner of the decades-old wooden fishing vessel, the Jacob Pike, “has made no attempt to recover the vessel and is currently involved in the judicial process for abandonment of watercraft.”

“The [Coast Guard] and its contractors are hoping to have the vessel removed in the coming weeks, but are currently waiting for the salvage plan to be finalized,” the memo states. The harbor master’s office will be present for the removal.

In February, Harpswell officials said the sunken boat was leaking fuel and was expected to cost at least $125,000 to remove , which could have fallen on town residents had the Coast Guard not stepped in.

According to Plummer, follow-up from the harbor master’s office, letters of support from the Select Board and diligence on the part of area Coast Guard officials “led to this favorable outcome.” The removal required approval from Adm. Linda Fagan, the commandant, or highest-ranking member, of the Coast Guard.

At a Select Board meeting on July 11, Deputy Town Administrator Terri Lynn Gaudet said the Coast Guard planned to remove the vessel “within the next couple of weeks.”

“It was a team effort,” Gaudet told the board. “[Plummer] really led this, and he did an amazing job to stay on top of this project and see it through and get funding for the removal … so that’s good news.”

Select Board Chair Kevin Johnson said the vessel would be taken to an industrial yard in Portland, where it would be dismantled.

“It’s basically a $200,000-plus project, and we don’t have to pay the bill,” he said.

Select Board member Jane Covey praised Plummer for successfully leading the effort to enlist the Coast Guard’s help.

“It’s a big deal that the Coast Guard has agreed to do it, and I think we owe [Plummer] and everyone else involved a real thank you for that,” she said.