Coast Guard crew members rescued a Leatherback sea turtle entangled in fishing gear Sept. 20, approximately 15 miles south of Cape Elizabeth. A good Samaritan had notified the Coast Guard Campbell crew of the turtle’s distress, and a crew responded.

Lookouts were posted along the Campbell as it neared the six-foot turtle’s last known position. Once located, a small boat with five crew members was deployed from the Campbell to rescue the turtle.

Ensign Jaime Chicoine identified the sea turtle as a Leatherback, known as the largest of all living sea turtles and a protected endangered species.

Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew Travis, the small boat’s coxswain, tied the rescue boat off to a fishing buoy and turned off the engine, reducing the risk of the propeller injuring the Leatherback during the rescue process.

“The crew attempted to gain control of the Leatherback, which proved to be no easy task as the frightened turtle frantically fought back, flipping through the water,” said Ensign Robert Chamberlain, a crew member aboard the Campbell, in a news release.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Dakota Curran, another crew member aboard the rescue boat, held the line and float that were wrapped around the right flipper of the turtle and pulled the sea turtle alongside the small boat.

Chicoine got into position where she could sever the line without cutting the turtle or any crew members in the process.

After cutting the line, Campbell’s crew watched as the turtle swam away to the open sea. The boat crew was able to splice the cut line to salvage the fishing gear before leaving the scene.