Sunday July, 22 2012 @ 16:43:42

Nature: Water Rescue Priority 1

Location: Indian River Inlet

Address: 362 Coastal Hwy Bethany Beach, DE 19944

On Sunday afternoon, July 22^nd, the Indian River (80), Rehoboth Beach (86), and Bethany Beach (70) volunteer fire companies as well as the Delaware State Police Aviation Unit (Trooper 2) were alerted for a water rescue priority in or near the Indian River Inlet.

Emergency response units included Indian River’s Marine Units 80 Marine 1 and 80 Marine 2; Indian River’s Incident Command, Rescue 80 and Engine #80-5 as well as the Delaware State Fire Police. 

All of Indian River’s units were to prepare for launching at Massey’s Landing; however, Indian River and Rehoboth Beach cancelled while responding to the designated launch site.  The Bethany Beach Incident Command responsed to the Indian River Inlet and coordinated assistance with patient assessment and securing ground transportation to the nearby medical facilities for one injured person.

Additional information may be obtained by view the following websites:

THE NEWS JOURNAL 

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20120723/NEWS01/307230052/Coast-Guard-rescues-9-boaters-Indian-River-Inlet?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Local|s

Coast Guard rescues boaters in Indian River Inlet

11:02 AM, Jul 23, 2012   |  Written by DAMIAN GILETTO

The Coast Guard and three fire companies were called out to rescue three boaters Sunday afternoon in Indian River Inlet, an official said.

Crews were alerted about 4:45 p.m. , said Joe Hopple, a spokesman for the Bethany Beach Fire Company.

When firefighters arrived, the Coast Guard had already rescued the people on board, Hopple said.

One person was taken to the Beebe Medical Center for a minor foot injury, Hopple said.

WGMD Radio 92.7 - www.wgmd.com

http://www.wgmd.com/?p=64023

9 Rescued After Boat Swamps & Sinks in Indian River Inlet

Life jackets saved the lives of 9 people who were rescued in the Indian River Inlet Sunday.  A 21-foot boat in the Indian River Inlet was swamped by heavy waves Sunday afternoon causing the boat to sink – and 9 people were rescued by passing boaters, the Coast Guard and DNREC Enforcement Agents because all of them – including an infant wore life jackets.  Officials say if all nine people had not been wearing life vests the incident would have had a tragic ending.  All children 12 and under are required to wear a life jacket at all times – and there should be a life jacket for each person on board – and readily accessible.  Since the state’s child personal floatation device law went into effect in 1991 there’s not been a child death from drowning in a boating accident. 

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NEWS RELEASE:  Boating tragedy averted as life jackets worn by all aboard

DOVER (July 23, 2012) – Nine people – including six small children and an infant – were pulled to safety from the Indian River Inlet Sunday afternoon when their open bow boat was swamped by heavy waves and sank soon after. When the waves struck, and as the boat went down, all nine aboard were wearing life jackets, which enabled their successful rescue by passing boaters, with assistance from the US Coast Guard and DNREC Fish & Wildlife Enforcement.

The 21-foot boat was buffeted by waves as soon as it entered the inlet, and shortly thereafter started to sink as its bilge pump was incapable of expelling the water taken on. Other boaters in the inlet who saw the children and two adults in the water motored to the scene and immediately began pulling them from it.

The accident and subsequent rescue occurred without serious injury, according to DNREC Fish & Wildlife Enforcement. One of the children was treated for a slight cut on his foot from the propeller of a rescuer boat as he was hauled aboard it; he was taken to Beebe Medical Center in Lewes, treated and released.

“There’s no doubt that if the entire party hadn’t been wearing their PFDs at the time of the accident, it could have been a tragic outcome,” said Sgt. Gregory Rhodes, DNREC boating safety officer. “The swamping from the waves tossed the young people all over the boat, and then it sank quickly. Getting into life jackets amidst such chaos would have been very difficult if not impossible. Wearing them from the minute you board a boat – that’s how boaters outfit themselves when they want to leave nothing to chance.”

In Delaware, life jackets also are the law with children age 12 and younger required to wear them while underway in any vessel on Delaware waters. Recreational vessels are required to carry one life jacket for each person aboard, and to keep them readily accessible. (Minimum fine for violations: $76.50.) Recreational vessels 16 feet or longer are required to carry one throwable cushion or ring buoy in addition to life jackets for all aboard.

Since 1991, when the state’s child personal floatation device law went into effect, not a single child has died as a result of drowning in a boating accident. For more information on life jackets and boating safety, please visit

http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/fw/Boating/Pages/Delaware_Boating_Safety.aspx