Between Friday, June 10 and Sunday, June 12, the Mattapoisett Fire and Marine Rescue unit responded to several water-related incidents.
Friday found the first responders searching for a person yelling for help in the vicinity of Dyar Road near Mattapoisett Harbor. Chief Andrew Murray said in a follow-up interview, “Within seven minutes the fire rescue team had a visual on…” the 67-year-old man. He said the man was 400 to 500 yards off shore. He was transported back to the town’s wharf where the ambulance was waiting to treat the boater for hypothermia and exposure, Murray said.
Then came Saturday when, for the better part of the day, the department aided in the search of a missing boater. By Sunday morning, as hope faded that it would continue to be a rescue mission, the Mattapoisett FD continued to search.
The U.S. Coast Guard called off the rescue mission around 10:00 am.
Murray said he had not received any official information on the boater other than that the body was recovered near the Cape Cod train bridge spanning the canal, and that they believe the male boater went in the water between Wareham and Marion.
Also on Sunday around 10:45 am, Murray said the rescue boat responded to a call for help with the message the boat was taking on water off Ned’s Point. When the rescue team arrived at the location, they found the boater in the water clinging to his boat.
“It was a Boston Whaler. They don’t sink, but the boat was indeed filled with water,” Murray said. He also said the boater’s phone was in a waterproof case which allowed the person to place the 911 call, but that the 24-year-old male was not wearing a life jacket.
Of his department, Murray said, “We are pretty well prepared … the taxpayers support us.” He said that during an emergency as many as 34 responders may show up and that response times are generally around two minutes.
The department is made up of staff and volunteers who are all certified as first responders. Murray also said that he has three paramedics and nine EMTs on staff.
By Marilou Newell