Five people who were heroically rescued from rough waters in the Merrimack River Saturday are counting their lucky stars.
The five passengers ended up in the water after their boat, a 21-foot vessel named Jenna Marie, collided with a 58-foot boat early Saturday afternoon. None of the five people were wearing lifejackets.
The harbormaster quickly sprang into action, jumping into the river to save their lives.
The boat's captain was reportedly stuck underneath the boat's hull for 5-10 minutes before the harbormaster managed to pull the captain from the boat.
At the same time, a third boat named Captain's Lady came along and helped pull the other four boaters from the water.
"I'm just the bus driver," Captain Lady's captain Chris Charos said. "The crew. The passengers. We had 140 people on the boat yesterday and they played a pretty big role in it, too."
The five pulled from the water are described as three adults and two kids.
The captain of Jenna Marie was injured and transported to an area hospital. The extent of his injuries are unclear at this point.
The entrance to the Merrimack River from the Atlantic Ocean has some of the strongest currents on the east coast.
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"The Merrimack River entrance is a very busy, treacherous area. It's always good to just keep a sharp lookout, slow down and just take your time. There's lots of fishermen in the area. It's just a big joke for vessels coming in," U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Courtney Lawrence said.
