Several departments and the Coast Guard combined to rescue boater in the water after vessel capsized

Officials combined Thursday to rescue a person who was in the water after a boat capsized.

According to Portsmouth Firefighters, just after 9:30 a.m., Portsmouth Fire Alarm received a call for reports of a vessel taking on water near the Northern end of the Sakonnet River, possibly in the river basin.

The Narragansett Bay Marine Task Force was activated and marine assets from Portsmouth, Bristol, Cranston, Warwick and United States Coast Guard responded. Land assets from Tiverton Fire also assisted.

Increasing wind and poor weather conditions made the search difficult, according to PFD.

An extensive search included the Sakonnet River from Fogland, North to the South side of the Braga Bridge, and West to the Providence River and Narragansett Bay. While searching between the Bristol shoreline and Southwest side of Spar Island in Mount Hope Bay, Bristol Marine 7 reported debris which included large parts of a boat, and a life-ring. Additional assets were deployed to assist and shortly after arriving in the area the USCG 45’ boat found and rescued a person in the water yelling for help.

The one victim was transferred and transported to land for evaluation.

USCG Station Castle Hill and the Bristol Harbormaster were able to confirm that the person in the water was the original caller for the vessel taking on water and that there was only one victim.