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March 30, 2007

2 teen boaters rescued off Pawtuxet

WARWICK -- Two teenagers were rescued off Pawtuxet Cove this afternoon after their small sailboat overturned and could not be righted, a fire official said.

The boaters, who have not been identified, were in the water for approximately five minutes but appeared not to have suffered any injuries.

Just after 4:45 p.m., the Warwick Fire Department received reports of boaters in distress just off Pawtuxet. The department’s marine rescue boat and a Coast Guard crew were alerted and dispatched to the scene.

“It appears they were unable to get the boat righted again, so someone called us concerned,” said Fire Department Battalion Chief Frank Colantonio. “By the time our boat got out there, they had already been taken out of the water and were in a civilian boat. It looked like they were possibly in some sort of [sailing] class. Our guys went out there and just verified that everything was okay.”

The Coast Guard crew was called off before it reached the scene.

Though the spring has arrived on land, rescue personnel still have concerns about water exposure at this time of year, Colantonio said: “When you’ve been in the water for a decent amount of time, you worry they could suffer the effects of hypothermia.”

In this case, the pair had protective suits on and refused medical attention, though they “appeared to be chilled,” the battalion chief added.

The two were taken aboard the civilian boat to the Rhode Island Yacht Club just over the Cranston line in Edgewood, according to Warwick Police Capt. Robert Nelson.

-- Journal staff writer Cynthia Needham

Posted by Andrea Panciera  at 6:46 PM | Permalink

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