A family was rescued after being stranded on a remote Massachusetts island for a little over a day after their boat caught fire.
A mother, father and son set sail from Eel Pond in Falmouth on Friday, the Coast Guard said in a Wednesday statement. They planned to take their 30-foot boat between Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard and anchor there for the weekend.
Local outlets identified the mom as Cynthia, or Cici, Sullivan, the dad as Patrick Sullivan and their son as Tyler Sullivan. The Coast Guard has not identified the family or said where they are from.
When the family did not return Tuesday evening, a concerned relative alerted the authorities. The Coast Guard, Falmouth authorities and volunteers searched for the boat Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.
The Coast Guard said the family had woken up to their boat on fire Monday night, prompting them to abandon ship. The family managed to swim to nearby Naushon Island, the largest of the Elizabeth Islands, and find shelter in a barn.
During the search for the family’s boat, authorities attempted to contact the boat’s crew, but the calls went straight to voicemail, and cell phone pings didn’t provide an accurate location.
The Coast Guard said when the son was walking along the remote beach, he found the boat’s marine radio, which had washed ashore.
On Wednesday morning, the Coast Guard received a mayday call on the radio. After finding the family, Nashuon Trust volunteers provided them with first aid. They were subsequently transferred via a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk to Cape Cod Hospital.
Cici remains in the ICU in critical but stable condition, and Patrick was taken to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston for burn treatment, according to a statement from the Sullivan family shared by CBS Boston. Tyler, who is in stable condition, suffered third-degree burns on his arm and smoke inhalation, according to the local outlet.
“The family would like to express our deepest gratitude to the U.S. Coast Guard and all emergency personnel who participated in the search and rescue efforts,” the Sullivan family said.
The Coast Guard commended the family’s “quick thinking” that led to their survival.
“Quick thinking and having quality equipment allowed the family to survive and call for help,” Scott Backholm, a search and rescue mission coordinator from Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England, said in a statement. “Mariners are encouraged to pursue first aid training and ensure their vessels are outfitted with proper safety equipment.”
The Independent has reached out to the Coast Guard for additional comment.
