High speed CAT ferry helps vessel taking on water off Nova Scotia

The high-speed ferry that travels between Nova Scotia and Maine was diverted from its route Friday to help a fishing boat that was taking on water.

Bay Ferries says the CAT received a distress call from Canadian authorities around 9:20 a.m. asking it to assist the fishing vessel “Tyler.”

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A U.S. coast guard aircraft dropped pumping equipment to the fishing vessel while the CAT stood by to lend assistance.

The ferry was released from the site around 11:27 a.m. once the fishing vessel was stabilized.

Bay Ferries says its vessel is travelling to Portland, Maine at the “highest prudent speed” and was expected to arrive in port around 3 p.m.

The company says the plan is to make the quickest possible turnaround in Portland in order to make up for lost time on the return trip to Yarmouth, N.S.