Coast Guard rescues woman near Assawoman Bay, Maryland

OCEAN CITY, Md. — The Coast Guard rescued a 20-year-old female from the water after she was reported missing from a vessel early Wednesday morning near Assawoman Bay, Maryland.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region received the initial report from Ocean City 911 dispatch, who relayed that the reporting source noticed the woman missing among the 11 other passengers aboard a 22-foot Carolina Skiff during its transit north from the Route 90 bridge.

A 24-foot Special Purpose Craft-Shallow Water boatcrew from Coast Guard Station Ocean City launched to search for the woman.

Once on scene, the crew initiated their search and found the missing woman in the water within 35 minutes. The crew pulled her aboard the response boat, confirmed she had no injuries, and transported her to her awaiting friends and local police at the vessel owner’s home.

“The operator of the vessel was issued a violation for boating under the influence,” said Master Chief Petty Officer Nathan Beach, officer in charge of Coast Guard Station Ocean City. “Always designate a sober operator if you’re drinking alcohol on the water.”

According to 2017’s Recreational Boating Statistics, alcohol use is the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents. When the primary cause was known, it was listed as the leading factor in 19% of deaths.