St. Mary’s County- 4-20-13-  NRP received a report of a vessel taking on water near Point Lookout State Park (PLSP) in the Chesapeake Bay at approximately 930am.  The vessel was a 23 foot center console that launched from PLSP and was carrying 6 passengers, the vessel reportedly filled with water then rolled on its side.  It is unclear at this time what caused the vessel to fill with water.  Waves of 3-5 feet were reported in the area at the time of the accident.   

Four of the six passengers were rescued the other two passengers are deceased, both bodies have been recovered and taken to St. Mary’s Hospital. The deceased were David Chase,55, and David Fletcher, 43, both of Lexington Park, MD. It appears that the party was fishing on the first day of Striped Bass season.  The investigation is continuing. 

The Maryland Natural Resource Police remind the citizens to wear Personal Flotation Devices (PFD’s) better known as life jackets. 

Original Story:

Early Saturday morning, April 20, fire and EMS units from Ridge, Valley Lee, Lexington Park and NAS Patuxent River were dispatched for a boat sinking off Point Lookout State Park at 8:33 a.m.

The initial report was a 24 foot boat was sinking with six souls on board. At the time of dispatch, the water temperature was 55.9 degrees; the air temperature was 50.7 with winds at 15 and gusting at 19 miles per hour.

At 8:57, Boat 4 reported an overturned boat with two people and looking for the others. Three minutes later, the boat reported they had four people with one unconscious and two still missing. At 9:06 a.m., Boat 4 reported they had located a fifth person with one still unaccounted for and four minutes later they reported CPR in progress on the unconscious person.

Boat 4 brought three victims to the boat landing and the Maryland Natural Resources Police boat brought two victims.

After dropping off their patients, Boat 4 returned to the scene to search for the one remaining victim. At 9:41, they reported “it looks like the Pax River helicopter is lifting someone from the water.” Two minutes later, Boat 4 confirmed the Pax River helicopter did have a victim and was en route to St. Mary’s Hospital with CPR in progress. Connie Hempel reports the SAR crew of pilot, LCDR Gregory Rowland; copilot, LT Daniel Lefler; crew chief, AWS1 John McKraken; swimmer, AWS3 Tanner Williams rescued the last victim.

Four victims were transported to St. Mary’s Hospital by two