3 Children Dead After Boat Capsizes in Oyster Bay

[kenpo262]

Three children died and 24 other people were rescued after being pulled from the Long Island Sound after their yacht capsized on the Fourth of July, Nassau County police say.

Authorities said the boat party was a group of family members and friends returning from a fireworks display when their boat capsized and began sinking in Oyster Bay.

Nassau County Deputy Inspector Kenneth Lack says two of the child victims were recovered from inside the sunken yacht after a long overnight search. Another was pulled from the water Wednesday night. The victims -- a boy and two girls -- were ages 8, 11 and 12, authorities said.

The cause of the capsize is under investigation, though officials believe weather, overcrowding or a massive wave from the wake of another boat may have been factors. Two people were operating the boat, and investigators say there is no evidence they were intoxicated when the accident happened.

The U.S. Coast Guard says survivors were pulled from the water around 11 p.m. Wednesday, about an hour after the 34-foot Silverton yacht capsized. All 27 passengers had been in the water at one point, police said. Most of them were taken aboard other crafts very quickly, he said.

Police say the rescue operation was hampered by the number of victims in the water, the time of day and the number of boats out celebrating the holiday.

Lack says some but not all passengers had been wearing life jackets. Nassau police detective John Azzada said investigators would look into whether there were enough life jackets on the yacht for all the passengers, which is required.

It's also required that anyone younger than age 12 have a life jacket on when outside the boat's cabin, Azzada said.

Further investigation of the boat, a recent purchase, is difficult at this time, Azzada said. The Silverton yacht began sinking in about 20 feet of water inside Cold Spring Harbor, but drifted out and is now 60 feet under water three miles off the coast of Oyster Bay, authorities said.

A special marine warning was in effect for that particular area of the Long Island Sound late Wednesday night. Radar captured between 10:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. showed a severe thunderstorm crossing Oyster Bay with winds of up to 40 mph.

[CountryME]

Although the details are not known at this time, this should serve as a reminder for all of us with little ones to keep them in a life jacket at all times. Safe Boating Everyone.

-JP

[Jerryh3]

27 people on a 34' boat?

[pascavone]

full story

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/n...gedy-1.3821929

[ShoreAcres]

I've seen this before. Too many people on top, especially on the flying bridge watching fireworks. In those cicumstances it does not take much to roll over.

[pascavone]

what parent would board a boat with 27 other, at night, ?

what "experiences" captain would allow it?

no one has 27 life vests... on a 34 foot boat...

[Huddo007]

R.I.P to the little lives tragically taken, condolences to the families involved, accidents like these are avoidable however sympathy must be given to those left behind, everyone should learn from this, although a lot of us see this as utter stupidity some dont know the dangers, everyone can be of assistance, if you see something unsafe say something, if the worst thing that happens in return is your told to "nick off and mind your own business" than that is a small price to pay if you can one day save someones life.

[pascavone]

welcome to long island boating.....

One dead after two boats crash near Captree

One person was killed in the waters off Captree Island after the operator of a powerboat, reportedly under the influence of alcohol, collided with a fishing boat under the Robert Moses Causeway early Saturday morning, Coast Guard and Suffolk County police officials said.

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/o...ee-1.3800362#1

[shrew]

First my condolences to the family and friends of those lost. This is truly a sad story. Yes, there are many things to ponder here. Why so obviously overloaded? Why did they depart without lifejackets? since I boat on Long Island Sound this was the talk of the marina's and anchorages all last week. It looks like the boat was new to the owner and he may have been a new boater. As for the parents....A non-boater does not necessarily know what is obviously safe and what is not. Anyone who has been on a ferry or cruise ship sees the size of crowds. To a degree a landlubber really does rely on the 'expertise' and 'judgement' of the skipper. 'If the skipper/boat owner is not saying anything, then it must be ok, right?'

There were some rumors around that the guests had been drinking even though the skipper was sober, but hte guests were purposely moving from side to side and laughing at how the boat was rolling. This is rumor and hearsay, I was not there nor were anyone who propegated this portion of the story. Fireworks can get very choppy, particularly from emergency vessels (coast guard, Police boats and Fire Dept boats) as they create large wakes getting onto and off of plane as they rip around the boats anchored for fireworks. (This has been a pet peeve of mine for years). The other boaters are also less than considerate, which usually leads the Leo's to give chase on plane to reprimand them for creating wakes in no wake zones (kind of ironic isn't it?).

I'm sure the owner assumed they were going a short distance out to an area of relative calm water and downplayed the need for PFD's or capacity limits. Unfortunately this is another cautionary tale about the need to adhere to safety regulations and common sense.

[pascavone]

I was coming home yesterday with the wife and kids on plane running 22 mph against the tie, and two boat pulled a Port to Starboard cut in front of me no more then 100 feet off my bow to run down this side channel.

was just amazing these yahoo's trying to be cleaver and daring, and have no real schedule or place to be.

I did not even have time to pull the throttler back, I just pointed the bow to port and crashed thru their wakes....

[shrew]

The regulations state that a child does NOT require a PFD if they are in the cabin. Personally, I don't like anyone riding for any length of time in the cabin while underway. This is particularly the case for children. When a boat capsizes, the weight is in the stern and the air pocket in the cabin is in the bow. This causes the boat to float inverted bow up. Anyone in the cabin at the time, while immediately float to the top of the water and breath the air trapped in the air pocket. I imagine that it would be pitch black and very confusing as you will essentially be upside in respect to the cabin interior. You will need to dive DOWN to find the cabin hatch. I doubt many adults would be able to fumble in the dark underwater where the world is upside down and worse if you're not familiar with the layout of the boat.

[pascavone]

boat on the surface...

http://www.newsday.com/