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First-responders in Fairfield County received notification of a small boat in distress off of Shippan Point in Stamford at about 10:20 a.m. Sunday, April 17.
A total of 22 Stamford firefighters responded as part of a marine rescue response, which included the department's fire boat and on-duty SCUBA divers, said Stamford Fire Department Deputy Chief Matt Palmer.
Multiple Stamford Police units, the Stamford Marine Division, and a Stamford EMS ambulance and Paramedic Supervisor also responded to the initial call for help.
Initial information provided to first-responders stated that three individuals were off of Shippan Point in a small 12-foot boat and were not able to return to shore due to strong northwesterly winds and rough seas, Palmer said.
"The boat was being carried by the tide and wind away from Stamford when the last cell phone call was made to a family member from one of those onboard," said Palmer. "First responders were hampered in determining the exact location of the boat due to a language barrier a"nd conflicting initial reports of the boat's last known location.
Fire Dispatchers at the Stamford Emergency Communication's Center personnel were able to use the caller's cell phone number to access the Carbyne 911 cellular tracking software to pinpoint the last known location of one the caller's from the vessel, according to Palmer.
The Carbyne software was able to move fire and police rescue boats to the area, and once there, debris believed to be from the boat was located in the water, Palmer said.
"Police and fire boats then were able to locate four men in the 3- to 4-foot swells," Palmer said.
Two of the men in pulled from the water were unconscious and unresponsive, the two others were both semi-responsive, Palmer said.
The Noroton Fire Department fire boat brought two of the injured men to awaiting ambulances at a shore location in Darien.
The Stamford fire boat and Stamford Police boat each brought in one of the injured boaters to awaiting Stamford EMS ambulances at West Beach in Stamford.
Three of the injured men were transported to Stamford Hospital. The fourth man removed was transported to Norwalk Hospital.
One of the injured transported to Stamford Hospital has been pronounced dead after lengthy life-saving efforts were made, Palmer said.
Another man remains in very critical condition at Stamford Hospital, Palmer said, adding that two additional men remain in critical, but stable condition; one at Stamford Hospital and one at Norwalk Hospital.
The identities of the four men have not yet been released.
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Conservation Police are handling the investigation into this incident.
Agencies responding were:
- Stamford Fire Department
- Stamford Police Department
- Stamford Emergency Medical Services
- Noroton Fire Department, Darien, Connecticut
- Greenwich Police Department
- United States Coast Guard
- Norwalk Hospital Emergency Medical Services
- Darien, Post 53, Emergency Medical Services
- Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Conservation Police
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