Crime & Safety

Explosive Hauled In By Fishing Boat Off RI Coast, Crew Evacuated

Coast Guard officials said they set up a 1-mile safety zone around the explosive overnight until Navy officials could come and detonate it.

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Petty Officer Ryan Noel said at 9:51 a.m., a crew on the fishing vessel the "Ocean State" hauled in the explosive about 4 nautical miles off the east coast of Block Island.
Petty Officer Ryan Noel said at 9:51 a.m., a crew on the fishing vessel the "Ocean State" hauled in the explosive about 4 nautical miles off the east coast of Block Island. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

NARRAGANSETT, RI — An undetonated explosive was caught by a fishing crew off the coast of Rhode Island Tuesday morning, forcing the crew to evacuate, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

The crew of the fishing vessel the "Ocean State" hauled in the explosive about 4 nautical miles off the east coast of Block Island, before calling the Coast Guard and being told to anchor two miles west of the Narragansett coast, a guard spokesman said.

Coast Guard officials called the Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal group to detonate the device.

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All three crew members were evacuated with no injuries, the spokesman said.

Coast Guard officials set up a one-mile safety zone around the vessel until the Navy could come and detonate the explosive Wednesday morning.

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