A pleasure boat carrying six people capsized in the Taunton River near Fall River Mass., the Coast Guard reported early Saturday. Three people died and a fourth remained missing Saturday morning.
One survivor was a 14-year-old boy who swam to shore to call authorities about 1 a.m. Saturday. The other survivor — one of the boy’s parents — was hospitalized and in critical condition early Saturday, said Tiverton police Chief Thomas Blakey.
The victims included one of the boy’s parents and an aunt, Blakey said. Authorities were still trying to determine the relationship of the third victim.
The boy told authorities that the missing woman, a 24-year-old, was his aunt, Blakey said.
The Coast Guard was using a helicopter and boats to search for her, said Coast Guard Coast Ensign Jon Rose. State and local authorities were assisting in the search around the river and in Mount Hope Bay.
The six left Swansea, Mass., about 9:30 p.m. Friday and were believed to be heading north from Mount Hope Bay when the boat capsized, Rose said. He did not know why they were riding at night. Their destination was unknown.
“Apparently, they were just making a transit,” Rose said. “I just don’t know what they were doing at night.”
Rose said the search would last until “all options are exhausted.”