NEW YORK–The U.S. Coast Guard is launching an investigation into a reported collision between a 24-foot pleasure boat and a tug/barge near Execution Rocks off King’s Point, N.Y. that left one boater on life support and two others injured shortly after 2 p.m. today.
The two injured boaters were reportedly in stable condition. The Coast Guard is not releasing the names of any boaters until authorities can ensure notifications to next of kin are completed.
The Coast Guard received a report via marine band radio channel 16 at 2:20 p.m. of an overturned pleasure craft and as many as three people in the water. Rescue crews from Rye, Mamaroneck Harbor, Nassau County and Glen Cove Police Departments as well as Hempstead Bay Constables and Coast Guard Station Kings Point immediately responded to the scene.
Rescuers pulled all three boaters from the water.
The tug Donald C notified the Coast Guard about 3:17 p.m. of the apparent collision. The tug and barge remain anchored in the area awaiting a Coast Guard boarding team from Station Eatons Neck who will conduct routine drug and alcohol screening of the tug’s crew.
Investigators from Coast Guard Sector New York and Marine Safety Field Office Coram, N.Y. are en route to interview the crew of the tug Donald C and investigate the condition of the pleasure craft.
“We are in the initial stages of our investigation of trying to find out the cause of the reported collision,” said Coast Guard LT. j.g. Mark Labert. “We do know three boaters were injured with one currently on life support.”
Nassau County’s Marine One towed the partially submerged 24-foot pleasure boat to Harry Tappen Beach, Glenwood Landing on Long Island following the collision.
Weather on scene was reported at less than one-foot seas, less than five knots of wind and 10 nautical miles visibility.
