NEWSDAY, AP
NEW YORK – Three people have been confirmed dead and several others are missing after a yacht carrying July 4 revelers capsized off the Long Island town of Oyster Bay.
AP reported that the US Coast Guard and private boat owners rescued 25 passengers around 11 p.m Wednesday night, an hour after the 36-foot Silverton motor yacht capsized after having arrived in the harbor for a fireworks show. Some 30 passengers were believed to have been on board, with Newsday reporting that children could be among the missing passengers.
Sammy Balasso, a boat owner in Oyster Bay told Newsday that the yacht tipped over when it was hit by a wake: “It was like in slow motion. All of a sudden, a lot of bodies were in the water.” Balasso said he put a spotlight on the capsized yacht and threw all the life jackets he had into the water.
Most of the rescued passengers were taken to the hospital, and were reported in stable conditions.