Warm Weather, Bad Judgment = Tragedy

[Fishing Rhino]

WESTPORT -- Three people drowned Sunday afternoon when two boats carrying six members of the same family capsized in 8 to 10-foot waves near the mouth of the Westport River an area known for its danger to boaters.

 

An 18-year old man a 9-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy survived the accident. The two youngest were wearing life preservers according to rescuers.

 

The drowning victims were the mother and father of the two young children and the father of the 18-year-old survivor.

 

The accident was a "family tragedy" according to Westport Lt. Joseph Carvalho a 23-year-veteran of the department who said all six people in the two boats were related.

 

"I've never seen anything like this" he said. "It's incredible."

 

Authorities would not release the names of those involved Sunday saying the young children had yet to be told of their parents' deaths. Police did say the victims are from Bellingham Mass. and Woonsocket R.I.

 

After the boats capsized the 18-year-old swam to shore and made a 911 call to police.

 

Firefighters EMT's and paramedics from Westport and Dartmouth arrived to find the three adults lying lifeless on the remote sandy beach which could only be reached by four-wheel drive vehicles.

 

Asked to describe the scene Chief of Detectives Mario Lewis said "Bad. The surf was 8 to 10 feet. And the bodies on the beach."

 

One person was pronounced dead at the scene. Five people were taken to Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River where the other two victims were pronounced dead.

 

The three others suffered only minor injuries according to police.

 

Assistant Harbor Master Jonathan Paull said he has been involved in several rescue attempts in roiling surf near the area where the accident took place.

 

Boaters often venture beyond the river mouth where the waters remain relatively calm only to find seas they cannot handle he said.

 

"It's an area that can be deadly" he said. "And today it was."

 

According to Lt. Carvalho the family outing began in the calm waters of the Westport River late Sunday morning when two boats were launched at the state boat ramp on Cherry Webb Lane.

 

The couple and their two young children boarded a 20-foot motor boat. The family is from Woonsocket R.I. police said.

 

Another man who police said was related to the family in the first boat and his 18-year-old son both from Bellingham set out in a second 16-foot motor boat

.

"Seas were extremely high but for whatever reason they ventured out anyway" Lt. Carvalho said. "Unfortunately they didn't get far."

 

The boats capsized about one-quarter mile east of the mouth of the river he said. Police believe the boats were headed in the direction of Horseneck Beach.

 

"All six people went in the water" said Lt. Carvalho. "The parents drowned and the kids made it."

 

The two young children were likely saved by their life vests rescuers at the scene said. Officials did not know if the 18-year-old was wearing a vest.

 

Although they have not determined what caused both boats to capsize police speculate that one boat may have been trying to rescue victims of the first boat after it flipped in the pounding surf.

 

Police did not know whether the adults were experienced boaters. But Mr. Paull said even professional rescuers dread the steep shoal which he said always whips up deadly surf.

 

"If somone's in trouble we'll go out and try to get them" he said. "But I'm always glad I have my life vest on."

 

After swimming to the shore the 18-year-old called police from a private home on Cherry Webb Lane around 135 p.m.

 

"Maybe he can tell us what happened someday" said Lt. Carvalho. "Right now it's a mystery."

 

The two children had been taken to a nearby house and wrapped in blankets by the time police arrived.

 

"They were in shock" said Det. Lewis saying he did not believe they understood their parents had died. "We're talking about 7 and 9-year-old kids here."

 

This will give you an idea of what the mouth of the river can look like on a calm day with gentle swells coming in onto the shoal at low tide.

 

[Darren.]

That's just awful. Horrifying.

[A-Jay]

 Rhino, that is a very sad story.

 

Those children didn't know any better and trusted the adults to keep them safe.

Taking them out onto that cold, rough water is bordering on suicidal.

In this case proved to be fatal.

 

I know you've seen it before, I have and it's always very disturbing.

 

A-Jay

[Fishing Rhino]

To make matters worse, this just popped up on the local news.

 

WESTPORT — A 51-year-old duck hunter from Westport is expected to survive and his two companions are dead, after their skift capsized this morning in the frigid waters of the Westport River, according to the Bristol County District Attorney's office and the U.S. Coast Guard.

 

The survivor is identified as Gregg Angell, according to Gregg Miliote, a spokesman for the DA's office. Angell was flown by Coast Guard helicopter to Rhode Island Hospital.

 

A spokeswoman at Rhode Island Hospital said at 4:15 p.m. that Angell is in fair condition.

 

The two men who died are Steven James, 53, of Marshfield and Robert Becher, 55, of Cromwell, Ct.

 

The DA's office said a boat carrying the three duck hunters apparently capsized on the Westport River near River Road.

 

Westport Harbormaster Richard Earle and a Coast Guard official said two of the men were recovered by the harbormaster's office after they washed ashore on the West End of Horseneck Beach. They were taken to Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River.

The third hunter was rescued from the banks of Corey's Island in the river, according to Coast Guard Lt. Mike Deal, the pilot of a MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter out of Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod.

 

The hunter was spotted waving his arms, giving the international sign of distress, he said. A rescue swimmer was lowered down to the hunter to assess his condition as the helicopter hovered above.

 

The hunter was “ambulatory,” but “extremely hypothermic,” and needed help getting into the basket and then being hoisted into the helicopter.

 

He was wearing “camouflage attire” — a sweatshirt and jacket and heavy hunting pants, according to Deal. He was not wearing a life jacket and did not have a hat when he was found.

 

“He was out of it. He could not us give his name,” he said.

 

Deal said given the hunter's condition it was crucial to get him to the hospital as soon as possible and eight minutes later they were at Rhode Island Hospital.

 

The temperature in the river is between 32 and 33 degrees, Earle said. He said salt water freezes at 28 degrees and the river is frozen in spots.

 

Conditions were risky for the hunters to be out duck hunting, he said. There was freezing spray, ice, 3-foot chop and it was windy.

 

“I would say it wasn't an ideal day to go (out),” he said. “I would say they were pushing the envelope.”

 

The hunters were in a 15- to 16-foot aluminum boat that was upside down and drifting in the river after it capsized, he said. It became snagged in a mooring, and has been recovered and is tied to dock at Westport Harbor.

 

State Police assisted Westport police in the search for the missing hunters, sending airwing and dive teams. State Police said the Bristol County district attorney's office was leading the investigation.

 

“At this time, this incident does not appear to be suspicious in nature,” the DA's office said in a release. “However, State Troopers assigned to this office are investigating at this hour, along with a number of other agencies.”

[flyfisher]

Sad story and what makes it even more sad is that it could have been prevented.

[Nitrofreak]

Wow , Thoughts and prayers to their families !!

[Oregon Native]

So sad.....so many of us think (or don't) we're invinceable.

[Redlinerobert]

Just terrible news. 

[Sam]

Thanks for sharing and giving us all a wake up call.

 

People have no idea of the "power of water."  Humans are out of their environment when on the water. And water is unforgiving.

 

Thinking if any of the adults have taken a safe boating course? In order to operate a motor boat or jet ski in Virginia you have to take the Commonwealth's Safe Boating Course and pass the test. There are still thousands in Virginia that go on the waters and have not met the state's requirements.

 

And as said above, this could have been prevented had the boaters known what they were doing.

[Bankbeater]

That's so sad.  Many people don't realize just how fast the water can change on you.