NEW YORK – The Coast Guard transported six injured boaters to emergency medical services after they were involved in a collision on the water at 3:15 a.m., in Great South Bay, Long Island, N.Y., Friday, July 15, 2011.
Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound received a mayday call via VHF channel 16 reporting the collision between two recreational vessels, in the vicinity of Captree Island.
The Coast Guard issued an urgent marine information broadcast and dispatched a rescue boat crew from Coast Guard Station Fire Island, N.Y., who responded to the scene along with a Suffolk County, N.Y., Police Department marine unit.
A 22-foot pleasure craft with two people on board collided with a 25-foot pleasure craft with six people onboard. The six injured people were a mix of two adults and four children. No life-threatening injuries were sustained but all were transferred aboard the Coast Guard rescue boat and transported to nearby Captree Island, where they were met by waiting emergency medical service.
The Coast Guard rescue boat crew then returned to the scene to conduct a vessel inspection. Suffolk County Police Department reportedly arrested the operator of one of the vessels for intoxication.
The incident is under investigation.
