Capsized Boat in the Hudson River 05/10/15

Columbia County 911 dispatched Greenport firefighters and Greenport Rescue at 3:46pm to the Hudson River for a report of a capsized boat with subjects in the water. Upon arrival it was discovered that a Stephentown man accompanied by a Stuyvesant man and 12 year old boy were fishing in a 14 Ft aluminum boat with an outboard motor just south of the City of Hudson when they became swamped by the wake of a passing pleasure craft and then capsized. All three were rescued by two Hudson men who were fishing nearby and observed the incident, although the rescuers boat was smaller they were able to bring the three to shore by having them hang on the side of the boat which prevented the rescuers boat from becoming overloaded and swamped The capsized boat was later retrieved and towed to shore. The 12 year old was wearing a coast guard approved life jacket. The two men stated it happened so fast they could not get their life jackets on in time. The Fire Chief would like to strongly remind all those boating and fishing to not only have life jackets on board but to wear the them!


Firefighters were back in service at 4:35pm.

Chief Gary Mazzacano
Greenport Fire Department 

(The Greenport Police Department investigated assisted by the Columbia County Sheriff's Department and New York State Police.)