Date: June 22, 2008

Contact: Petty Officer Etta Smith
(617) 406-9011

Click image for high resolution 

BOSTON- Charter vessel Argo ran aground near Boothbay Harbor, Maine, today around 12 p.m., with 3 crewmembers and 136 passengers aboard.

No injuries or pollution were reported.

Around 12:07 p.m., Coast Guard Station Boothbay Harbor received a radio call from the 65-foot vessel reporting they had run aground near Spruce Point.

The Coast Guard launched a 25-foot and 47-foot boat crew from Boothbay Harbor.

The vessel was able to re-float on its own and was escorted by the Maine Marine Patrol to its destination, Cabbage Island.

A Coast Guard marine investigator is scheduled to inspect the Argo to assess the damage and help determine the cause of the grounding.

A Coast Guard aids-to-navigation unit is scheduled to verify the position of the buoys in the area to determine if there were any discrepancies.

Both Coast Guard boats are escorting the vessel and its passengers back to Fisherman's Wharf in Boothbay Harbor where the vessel will be inspected by investigators.

Conditions in the area were calm seas with winds around 10 miles per hour and 200 yards of visibility.

The case is under investigation.

“We are investigating the causes of how this incident occurred in our ongoing efforts to keep our waterways as safe as possible",” said Lt. Lisa Tinker, the command duty officer at Sector Northern New England. 

### U.S. Coast Guard: Saving Lives Since 1790 ###

Send email replies to d1publicaffairs@uscg.mil