The bodies of two Maryland fishermen were recovered Sunday morning and one man remains missing after their boat sank in the Potomac River on Saturday, authorities said Sunday. A fourth man was found alive.
Rescue crews continue to search for a 52-year-old Maryland man who remains missing; the 39-year-old who was found alive early Sunday was taken to MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital, authorities said.
Rescuers also recovered two bodies from the waters off St. Mary’s County, said Candy Thomson, a spokeswoman for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
She said authorities received a Mayday call about 5 p.m. Saturday in the Bowie area of the river. The water conditions were bad at the time, and a gale warning was in effect when the men – all from Southern Maryland – took part in a fishing tournament.
At 8 p.m., the wives of the fishermen called authorities to report that their boat was overdue.
Rescue crews began searching for the men Saturday night, but wind gusts of up to 46 mph and three-foot waves impeded the effort. Rescuers broke off the search about 3 a.m. and returned at first light Sunday, Thomson said.
“Conditions there are horrible,” she said. “Gale warnings are always something you need to take seriously.”
(c) 2016, The Washington Post ยท Luz Lazo
