Raft adrift prompts Mount Hope Bay search

The Coast Guard and other rescuers searched Mount Hope Bay for hours Saturday morning for a possible person in the water after an unmanned, homemade raft was found adrift.

Searchers focused on the area near the mouth of the Taunton River on the Massachusetts and Rhode Island border and also covered much of the bay itself including the shorelines.

A good Samaritan alerted the Coast Guard to the empty raft at about 7 a.m.

A response boat crew from Coast Guard Station Castle Hill, Portsmouth Fire Marine 2 and Tiverton were among the searchers. Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England also activated the Rhode Island Taskforce for assistance.

The Coast Guard is requesting anyone with information about the owner of the homemade raft to contact search and rescue coordinators at 508-457-3211.