This 16-foot sailboat capsized in the Kennebec River in Bath Friday night. Courtesy of Bath Police Department
Two men and a dog were rescued Friday night from the Kennebec River in Bath after their sailboat capsized in rough water and high wind resulting from Hurricane Lee.
Police Chief Andrew Booth said the men, locals aged 76 and 69, called 911 around 5:45 p.m., saying their 16-foot sailboat capsized near Days Ferry and they were in the water clinging to the side. Security officers from Bath Iron Works in a patrol boat picked up Bath police Sgt. Ted Raedel and three Bath Fire Department personnel at the North End boat launch, Booth said. The group pulled the men and dog from the water; they were not hurt.
Booth credited the BIW officers for their fast response.
“This allowed Sgt. Raedel and Bath Rescue personnel to provide timely emergency response and treatment preventing further injury or death,” Booth said in a statement.
Booth said the men were not wearing life jackets and the mishap was a result of a combination of rough water, high wind and human error.
“We’d like to remind everyone to pay close attention to the river and weather conditions before venturing out, and to wear life jackets,” Booth said. “These men were lucky to have been able to hold on to the capsized boat until rescue. If the rescue had taken longer, it may have been a different outcome.”
Hurricane Lee caused rough surf along the state’s coastline and high winds that caused power outages Saturday.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
