At least three people have died in a boating accident after a vessel capsized in the Ambrose Channel.
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Per a report by ABC7, the incident took place around midday on Sunday, February 23. Three people passed away, and two were injured when a boat overturned between Staten Island, Sandy Hook, New Jersey, and the Rockaway Peninsula. The outlet explains that the vessel was not near the shore at the time.
According to CBS, at least five people were on board when it turned over. Details about how the vessel flipped are unclear. Witnesses reportedly saw the boat overturn, tossing the passengers overboard. We don't know if another ship was involved, nor if the boat hit something that caused it to flip or take on water. Officials responded to a "vessel in distress" with people in the water. Divers for the NYPD reportedly searched the area and recovered three passengers, who were all declared deceased at the scene.
Two survivors are recovering in Staten Hospital. One is reportedly in critical condition, while the other has stabilized. Authorities have not revealed any identities pending an investigation.
6 People May Have Been On Board Before The Incident
According to a report by Gothamist, one person remains missing, bringing the total personnel on the boat to six. The US Coast Guard and local police departments are continuing search efforts. The outlet also reveals that 911 operators in New York City received a call about a 'vessel taking on water.'
Authorities reportedly dispatched three rescue boats and a helicopter from the Coast Guard Air Station in Atlantic City. Per a press release by the United States Coast Guard, on Sunday, authorities are still looking for one more person approximately five miles southeast of Breezy Point. Two of the five people retrieved by emergency services were reportedly airlifted to Staten Island University Hospital. Emergency services took the other three to the Coast Guard Station at Sandy Hook. Medical services were waiting at the scene and attempted to perform CPR on the unresponsive victims. Multiple law enforcement agencies were involved in the operation, including the FDNY and Jersey State Police.
