(WNYW) -- The Coast Guard came to the rescue of a huge sea turtle that got caught in a line off the coastline of Montauk, New York, Monday afternoon, authorities said.
A fishing vessel came across the leatherback turtle entangled in a lobster pot line in Fort Pond Bay. The Coast Guard was notified at about 1:30 p.m. and dispatched a 25-foot boat from Coast Guard Station Montauk, officials said.
"The turtle would have most likely died if the crew did not respond to assist," Petty Officer 3rd Class Matthew Foster said in a news release. "The line was around the turtle's neck and fin and was getting tighter."
The crew members cut the line and helped untangle the turtle, which didn't seem hurt and was able to swim away.
"We are glad we were able to execute the mission safely and release the trapped turtle quickly," Foster said.