USCG, other agencies assist 22 in water near Bloodsworth Island

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, the USCG said in a news release.

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.”