Coast Guard Rescues Sea Turtle from Shark Attack on Jersey Shore

By: AP

Authorities say a sea turtle who was entangled in a fishing trap line and was being circled by sharks off New Jersey was rescued by a Coast Guard cutter.

The Coast Guard says the stricken animal was reported Thursday afternoon 11 miles (18 kilometers) southeast of Cape May by the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, which works to free stranded animals along the coast of the Garden State.

The cutter Shearwater, an 87-foot (26-meter) patrol boat, headed to the scene and saw sharks encircling the turtle, so a team in a small boat was sent to circle the ailing animal until the sharks dispersed. Officials said crew members then cautiously approached the turtle and cut it free.

The cutter’s officer in charge, Master Chief Petty Officer Anthony Martinez, called it “the proudest day I’ve had on this cutter.”

In other developments, gas prices dipped a bit in New Jersey and around the nation, but analysts say they may drop further with virtual instruction planned for many schoolchildren this fall.

AAA Mid-Atlantic says the average price of a gallon of regular gas in New Jersey on Friday was $2.16, down a penny from the week before. Drivers were paying $2.71 a gallon at this time last year.

The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline was $2.17, also down a penny from the previous week. The national average was $2.64 at this time a year ago.

Analysts say there’s a good possibility that gas prices could drop further since many school districts plan virtual instruction, which “could drive demand down in the weeks ahead as school starts at-home.”

A crash early Monday involving two New Jersey Transit buses on a New Jersey Turnpike exit ramp left roughly 12 people injured, authorities said.

The accident in Secaucus occurred around 7:15 a.m., state police said.

One bus rear-ended the other as both were traveling from Exit 16E to Route 495 east, an NJ Transit spokeswoman said. Both buses were headed to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City.

The drivers of both buses and about 10 passengers overall were being treated at hospitals for undisclosed injuries that were not considered life-threatening. One bus was carrying about seven passengers, while the other had about six.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. The turnpike ramp was closed for several hours while the crash was investigated.

(Associated Press)