UPDATE June 2 at 7:15 a.m.
A report on the incident from the U.S. Coast Guard
Bloodsworth Island, MD – The Coast Guard, local partner agencies and a good Samaritan responded Wednesday to a mayday call from a boat that sank with 22 people aboard near Bloodsworth Island.
Responding agencies included Maryland Natural Resources Police, Maryland State Police, Dorchester County EMS and Naval Air Station Patuxent River.
Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region received a digital selective calling alert of distress with the boats Maritime Mobile Service Identity number from a boater aboard a 40-foot boat. The DSC notification was followed by a distress call over VHF-FM marine channel 16 stating, “Mayday, mayday, mayday. This is the motor vessel Karen N. We have sunk off of Bloodsworth Island.” Communications were lost soon after.
Sector Maryland-National Capital Region issued an urgent marine information broadcast and launched boat crews from Coast Guard Station Crisfield, while SYSCOM Helicopter Communications notified Maryland State Police and launched two helicopter crews.
A good Samaritan arrived on scene, brought the 22 boaters aboard, transported them to Wingate and transferred them to awaiting EMS personnel.
“As soon as we received the DSC alert we knew their exact position,” said Lt j.g. Issac Yates, a command duty officer at the Sector Maryland-National Capital Region command center.
“When the owner of a vessel connects their radio to a GPS, the signal sent after pressing the DSC alert button will include the GPS position,” said Yates. “If they’ve gone to the [maritime mobile service identity] website and registered their vessel with the appropriate vessel owner information, the DSC alert will also send the MMSI code number with the signal and we can look up the owner’s information while also knowing the exact position of when the alert was pressed.”
EMS determined one person was in need of an airlift to Peninsula Regional Medical Center.
Other injured personnel were transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center via ambulance.
“All 22 persons in the water were wearing their life preservers,” said Yates. “That greatly enhanced their survivability.”
Thursday morning, June 2, Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) President William C. Baker issued this statement about the incident that involved a CBF boat with Kent School fourth-grade students, parents, and a teacher on board.
“At approximately 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon a Chesapeake Bay Foundation boat apparently struck a submerged object west of Bloodsworth Island. There were 23 students, parents, teachers, and staff on board.
All were rescued. Five individuals were taken to nearby hospitals, mostly with bumps and bruises. The others were taken to the Easton hospital to be checked for any possible injuries. All involved have been discharged.
“CBF will conduct a review of the incident and cooperate with the Coast Guard in their investigation.”
Bloodsworth Island, MD – State authorities report a school field trip to Maryland’s Eastern Shore has ended with several members of the party having to be rescued from the Chesapeake Bay.
According to Maryland Natural Resources Police spokeswoman Candy Thomson, the incident occurred Wednesday afternoon, June 1 near Bloodsworth Island in Dorchester County. Thomson told The BayNet that between 14 and 20 people ended up in the water but have been safely rescued by a workboat. All have apparently been accounted for, Thomson stated.
Several rescue boats, including a vessel from Calvert County, were dispatched to aid in the rescue. No other details, including the name of the school the students attend, have been released at this time and the incident remains under investigation.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com