CAPE MAY-- Several local fishermen on board the fishing boat Amy Marie of Lund's Fisheries came to the rescue of a the 40 year-old 57 foot fishing vessel the Miss Dollie 30 miles off the coast of Cape May.

The Coast Guard received a call at 6:40 a.m. from a crewman aboard the Miss Dollie reporting they are taking on water and they have a pump that is not keeping up with the flooding. The crewman also reported they have a life raft aboard.

The Coast Guard sent out an urgent marine information broadcast to mariners to request assistance from any nearby boats. A rescue boat crew from Coast Guard Station Cape May and a rescue helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City, N.J., were dispatched to the scene.

The crew aboard the Amy Marie, was only 3 and a half-miles away when they heard the distress call and sprang into action. "We instructed them to get on life raft, made it easier, we couldn't put this boat against that boat...out to sea it was getting kind of rough," said Amy Marie Captain, Walt Hill.

The Coast Guard responded just minutes after the Amy Marie pulled the men aboard, and praised the crew for their quick action. "Fortunately in this situation like I said, other fishing vessel nearby to assist and that definitely saved their lives," said Coast Guard Lt. Ann Wickham.

According to the Coast Guard, it is believed that a piece of equipment on the 57-foot, wooden, Miss Dollie may have hit against the side of the boat, causing it to take on water.

No injuries were reported and the incident remains under investigation by the Coast Guard.

Contact Scheeler at 609-404-6515 or hscheeler@cmcherald.com