UPDATE: Milford Boat Towed to Safety

Updated on August 15th at 6:55 p.m.:

The son of the boat owner, who like his father wished to not be named in this article, noted that the boat formerly stranded at Silver Sands has been towed to Milford BoatWorks.

The boat owner's son said that "we won't know until tomorrow" if the boat is in complete disrepair.

The towing strategy lines up with the plan Marine Science Technician Scott Baumgartner of the U.S. Coast Guard suggested would take place earlier today.

Baumgartner said that they would likely "wait for high tide, float it with air bags and tow it."

Baumgartner was on the scene today as a pollution responder for the Long Island Sound.

"A sea tow tried to pull the vessel and the keel snapped," said Baumgartner, who went on to note that the diesel spill was on the lighter end. "It spreads out and burns up rapidly."

Baumgartner noted that Milford Fire Department had placed sorbent next to the boat to help with pollution concerns. "It absorbs the oil and not the water," he explained.

Baumgartner said that the plan is to "wait for high tide, float it with air bags and tow it."

Original Story:

A one-manned boat with engine trouble finds itself stranded on a sand bar at this Wednesday afternoon.

"A sea tow was going to pull me over," said the boat's operator, who requested that his name not be printed.

"The gentleman lost power," said , providing a reason why the boat could not move.

Before the tow could reach the boat, "catastrophic damage" was caused to the keel, according to Healey.

The keel "snapped from the bottom" said the boat's operator, as he was trying to "pull off the sand bar."

Milford Patch Neighborhood Gallery contributor Anne Weizel was down at Silver Sands taking pictures. Anne had heard similar reports of "engine trouble" and that the vehicle had "started drifting."

A crowd is currently gathered on the sand bar. No plan has been enacted as to how the boat will be moved, though Healey suggested that a "salvage company" will likely retrieve it.

We will bring you more information on this story as it becomes available.