'Conserve Your Flares': Coast Guard Saves Four New Bedford Fishermen
NEW BEDFORD (CBS) -- Just two hours shy of finishing up a five-day fishing trip, four New Bedford fisherman say their boat started to take on water.
"Within two minutes, I knew there was no saving the boat, at that point, you worry about your men," recalled Andrew Arnett to WBZ-TV on Thursday night, one day after the incident.
The Sea Star was going down, 18 miles sound of Martha's Vineyard, just after 6 p.m.
Captain Arnett told his men to suit up as the Coast Guard headed their way.
"They would also like you guys to conserve your flares," Coast Guard responders told them over the radio.
When their rescue helicopter had the spotted, the fisherman jumped into the 37-degree water and got away from the boat to avoid being sucked down with it.
A rescue swimmer then began airlifting them to safety.
"I won't forget the swimmer, that's for sure," said Arnett. "He literally looked like a guardian angel coming out of the sky. It's something you can't even describe."
Arnett is grateful for the rescue and relieved he will be able to see his wife and two kids again.
He and the other crew members plan on spending the next week with their families before they even about heading back out onto the water.
In it not clear why the boat started taking on water.