2 men dead, 2 in critical condition after boat capsized off Connecticut coast

Two men were killed and two others were in critical condition after their boat capsized in rough seas off the coast of Connecticut on Sunday morning, officials said.

According to fire officials, at least seven agencies, including the Coast Guard, Stamford Fire Brigade and Stamford Police, responded to reports of a small boat crashing in Long Island Sound.

According to a statement from the Stamford Fire Department, the 12-meter-long boat was unable to return to shore due to strong winds and rough seas.

“The boat was being swept away by the tides and winds from Stamford when the last mobile phone call was made to a family member from one of the occupants of the small vessel,” the statement said.

It said first responders initially had difficulty finding the boat due to language barriers and conflicting reports about the boat’s last known location.

Eventually, firefighters at the Stamford Emergency Contact Center were able to use the caller’s cell phone number to track the boat, using software.

First responders later found pieces of the boat and were able to pull the four men out of the swelling in their legs.

Two of the men were unconscious and unresponsive. According to fire officials. All four were taken to nearby hospitals.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said the first two men were pronounced dead at the hospital, while the other two remained in critical condition. The identities of the men have yet to be released.

The ministry said all four men were wearing life jackets. An investigation into the incident is underway.

at Blogtuan.info – Source: nbcnews.com – Read the original article here