August 1, 2022

At 4:35 pm Station 6, Boat 6, Boat 14, St. Mary’s Boat 5, Charles County Dive Team, Paramedic Ambulance 68, and EMS Duty Officer were alerted to the Potomac River in the area of Swan Point for a boat in distress with people in the water. While en route units were updated that there were 4 people in the water and two were missing. Boat 6 arrived on the scene to confirm one soul had been rescued by a good Samaritan and two souls were still missing. Boat 6 immediately established last scene points. Simultaneously Boat 14 arrived on the scene they transported two children that had been rescued along with her mother to awaiting Ambulance 69 . Boat 6 initiated sonar search operations based on last scene points of interest for the two souls that remained missing.

Chief 6B established the Potomac River Command and coordinated search efforts for additional responding units which included United States Coast Guard (USCG), Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and Calvert County Dive Team. At approximately 9 pm Boat 6 located one soul and with the assistance of Calvert County Dive Team removed the one victim from the water. At 10 pm the USCG and DNR suspended their search efforts for the remaining lost soul until morning. Boat 6 assumed operations and along with Charles County Dive Team and Calvert County Dive Team, continued the search through the night. At 10 am Boat 6 and Boat 14 switched to a surface grid search while Charles County Dive Team, St. Mary’s Boat 5, and DNR continued sonar operations. At approximately 10:45 am Boat 6 located the second victim and turned over to DNR on the scene.

Our thoughts and prayers are extended to the family and friends of the victims.

We also extend our thanks to mutual aid units that were available to assist in operations.