Fire Department credits bystanders with saving lives after boat sinks near MMMBT
BALTIMORE, – Quick-thinking bystanders are being credited by the Baltimore City Fire Department with preventing a potential tragedy today after a boat capsized and sank near the Francis Scott Key Bridge (often referred to by locals as the “MMMBT” for the former William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge, though the Key Bridge is the relevant landmark for this incident). Their swift actions are believed to have saved multiple lives.
The incident occurred around 3:30 PM this afternoon when a small pleasure craft, reportedly carrying five individuals, experienced an unknown malfunction and rapidly began taking on water. Witnesses at Fort Armistead Park and along the shoreline of the Patapsco River quickly noticed the distressed vessel.
“We saw it just go down so fast,” recounted Sarah Chen, who was picnicking with her family nearby. “One minute it was there, the next it was practically submerged. People started yelling.”
Before emergency services could even be dispatched, several individuals jumped into action. Onlookers with personal boats, kayaks, and even a paddleboard rushed towards the capsizing vessel.
“I just grabbed my paddleboard and went,” said Michael Rodriguez, who was fishing nearby. “You don’t think, you just react. I saw a couple of people in the water, struggling.”
Rodriguez, along with others who launched their own small crafts, managed to pull three individuals from the frigid waters. Simultaneously, a passing recreational boat, skippered by local boater Captain Thomas “Tom” Miller, maneuvered expertly to retrieve the remaining two.
Baltimore City Fire Department Spokesperson, Captain Janice Holloway, arrived on the scene shortly after the last individual was pulled from the water. “We are incredibly grateful for the selfless and immediate response from the public today,” Captain Holloway stated in a press briefing. “Their actions were truly heroic. Without their quick thinking and bravery, we could have been looking at a far more tragic outcome. They are directly responsible for saving lives.”
All five individuals from the sunken boat were assessed by paramedics on site. While shaken and suffering from mild hypothermia, all are reported to be in stable condition and did not require hospitalization. Their names have not yet been released.
The cause of the boat’s sinking is currently under investigation by the Maryland Natural Resources Police. The submerged vessel presents a minor navigation hazard, and efforts to salvage it are expected to begin tomorrow morning.
Today’s events serve as a powerful reminder of the vital role everyday citizens can play in emergencies. The Baltimore community is celebrating these ordinary people who, in an extraordinary moment, proved to be genuine lifesavers.
