WAREHAM, MASS. (WHDH) - A boat with 12 people on board overturned Wednesday in the waters off Cape Cod, leaving a young boy trapped under the 18-foot vessel.
Coast Guard crews responded around 4:40 p.m. to the Cape Cod Canal near Stony Point Dike after a Good Samaritan reported that a boat appeared to be overloaded with passengers and struggling against the waves near Wareham.
Coast Guard officials say Good Samaritans recovered nearly all the of the 12 boaters that were thrown into the water.
Michael Margolis, who works on boats in the area, was already in a wet suite when he heard the call and motored to the scene to help.
“When I arrived, there was a number of people already plucked from the water,” Margolis said. “Good Samaritans did there best to pull people from the water.”
Margolis dove under the capsized boat when he learned that a 9-year-old boy was still missing.
“I was able to recognize the life preserver and pull the child, who was lodged underneath the boat,” Margolis said.
The boy was unconscious when he was pulled from the water. He was resuscitated and flown to Boston Children’s Hospital with serious injuries. He is said to be in critical condition.
“This was a real bad situation and everyone came together and worked really good,” Margolis said.
No other injuries were reported. The Coast Guard is investigating the incident.
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