SOUTH THOMASTON – Passengers of a motorboat encountered an unexpected crowd, Thursday, July 19, after the lower unit of the outboard motor attached to their boat hit a submerged rock near Hewitt Island.

Richard Gray, of Connecticut and Owls Head, and his three adult and three youth passengers, were headed west through Home Harbor when the 23-foot Proline vessel became disabled between Hewitt and Pleasant islands, according to Marine Patrol officer Matt Talbot.

Following the impact, Gray anchored the vessel and called for help.

According to South Thomaston Fire Chief Bryan Calderwood, Fire Lt. Alan Knowlton heard that loud crash around 5:30 p.m.

Knowlton immediately directed his lobster vessel, Sea Urchin, to the motorboat, assessed the situation, and, though the boat was not taking on water, towed the Proline to a landing near Island Road and Spruce Head Island Co-op. All seven passengers remained in the Proline during the tow.

No passengers suffered more than bumps and bruises during the incident, according to Talbot, though a large group of firefighters and emergency medical technicians from South Thomaston and St. George waited at the landing.

“We’re here as a precaution to assist because it was unknown if there were injuries or not,” Calderwood said.

Because of the town’s location, South Thomaston answers the initial call requests for many of the islands in that region, even for Whitehead Island, which is in St. George.

Marine Patrol investigated the incident, and the Coast Guard was notified, according to Calderwood. Yet, many more hands offered to help, as well.

“Even when I got here, I had two or three lobstermen ask me ‘do you need my boat?’” he said. “The guys in this area are willing to drop what they’re doing to help us out.”

This is the first such incident this summer that South Thomaston personnel were summoned to, nor does it happen every year, according to Calderwood.

“We haven’t had one in a long time,” he said.

 Reach Sarah Thompson at news@penbaypilot.com