Tanker crew member falls overboard, prompting frantic search, trip to shore for medical care

The crew of a commercial fishing boat recovered a man who had fallen overboard from a tanker and began CPR while rushing him to shore for medical care, officials said.

The crew of America pulled the man from the water Tuesday morning, and Boston Fire Department and Coast Guard personnel came aboard to assist as the boat headed to shore where an ambulance was waiting, officials said. The man’s condition was not known.

The mayday from the tanker MTM Dublin went out shortly after 4:30 a.m., reporting a crew member had fallen overboard, the Coast Guard said.

The Coast Guard said the man was swept overboard while a ladder was being lowered in anticipation of a Boston Harbor pilot coming aboard.

The search took place in pitch-dark conditions and rough seas near Boston Harbor, and the America found the crew member after being the first vessel on the scene, said Petty Officer Lyric Jackson, a Coast Guard spokesperson.