Photo: United States Coast Guard
The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a family of three on Wednesday (October 22) after they were stranded on Naushon Island off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The family, identified as the Sullivans, had set off on their 30-foot pleasure craft, the Third Wave, from Eel Pond in Falmouth on Friday (October 17) and planned to return on Tuesday (October 21). However, their boat caught fire on Monday night, forcing them to swim to the island for safety.
Once on Naushon Island, the family sheltered in a barn for nearly two days. A relative reported them missing when they did not return as expected, prompting a search by the Coast Guard, Falmouth police, and the Falmouth Harbormaster. On Wednesday morning, the son, Tyler Sullivan, was able to use the boat's marine radio, which had washed ashore, to make a mayday call to the Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard, along with volunteers from the Naushon Trust, located the family and provided emergency first aid. A Coast Guard helicopter then airlifted the Sullivans to a hospital. One family member was in critical condition, while two others were stable. Tyler sustained third-degree burns on his arm and was in stable condition at Cape Cod Hospital, while his father, Patrick Sullivan, was flown to a burn unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Scott Backholm, a search and rescue mission coordinator from Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England, commended the family's quick thinking and quality equipment for their survival and ability to call for help. Naushon Island, where the family took refuge, is the largest of the Elizabeth Islands chain between Buzzards Bay and Martha’s Vineyard.