Gosnold, Massachusetts– Three family members who swam to a private island when their boat caught fire and sank were rescued two days later after their marine radio washed ashore.
“Mayday, Mayday, Mayday! Our ship has fallen into Tarpaulin Bay!” Tyler Sullivan told a Coast Guard dispatcher early Wednesday morning. “Our ship burned while we were sleeping, and we barely survived!”
Sullivan and his parents left Falmouth on Friday and planned to return Tuesday after spending the weekend near Knowshon Island, the largest of the chain of islands between southeastern Massachusetts and Martha’s Vineyard. A relative contacted authorities Tuesday night, prompting a multi-agency search that included Falmouth police and the Falmouth Harbormaster.
In the audio recording provided by Broadcastify.com, a Coast Guard dispatcher asks Sullivan about his parents’ medical condition and asks about their ability to move or sit. In distress recordings released by the Coast Guard, they described their location and what happened to the boat.
“The ship has sunk, and we’re on the farm,” Sullivan said.
Shortly after, a Coast Guard helicopter rescued the family and transported them to an area hospital. Sullivan’s brother, Christopher, told WCVB-TV that his mother’s condition was critical but stable.
“Thinking quickly and obtaining high-quality equipment allowed the family to survive and seek help,” Scott Buckholm, search and rescue mission coordinator from Coast Guard Sector Southeast New England, said in a statement.
Knowshon Island, part of the Elizabeth Islands, is owned by the Forbes family but has several coves open to the public, according to a company that offers tours to the islands.