Tragic Incident on Massachusetts Island

A woman has passed away, just a day after a U.S. Coast Guard rescue operation saved her and her family from a remote island in Massachusetts. They had swum to the island after their boat caught fire on Monday night.

Cynthia Sullivan, aged 73, succumbed to her injuries on Thursday, as her family shared on Facebook the following day, according to Boston 25 News.

Cynthia, her husband Patrick, who is 72, and their son Tyler, 37, were on their 30-foot boat named Third Wave when a fire broke out, tragically claiming the life of their dog as well.

Woken by the intense flames, the Sullivans swam approximately four miles to Naushon Island, which is located near Martha’s Vineyard.

Once on the island, the injured family sought refuge in a barn, where they remained for more than 24 hours until a marine radio reached them. Tyler was eventually able to call for assistance.

In a radio transmission to the Coast Guard, Tyler was heard saying, “Mayday, mayday, mayday, our ship sank in Tarpaulin Cove. While we were sleeping, the ship caught fire and we all ran for our lives.”

A Coast Guard helicopter team quickly arrived and airlifted the family to Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis.

The family was reported missing after not returning home on Tuesday, and when calls were made to a phone that had sunk with the boat, they went directly to voicemail.

Rescue operations were initiated with multiple agencies searching the area Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, but it wasn’t until Tyler used a handheld radio to call for help that they were located.

Chris Sullivan, one of Cynthia’s sons, expressed his grief in a social media post, revealing that she passed away peacefully while they played her favorite John Mellencamp songs. He mentioned the heartache but emphasized the support of friends and family. “We will get through this together,” he said.

He shared that his father is awake and his brother managed to save them in what he described as chaotic circumstances, humbly stating, “I don’t want to be called a hero, but I am a hero.”

Scott Buckholm, the Coast Guard’s search and rescue operations coordinator, stated that due to quick thinking and suitable equipment, the family was able to survive and seek help. He encourages all seafarers to undergo first aid training and ensure that their boats are equipped with necessary safety gear.

The Sullivan family had set off from near Falmouth, Massachusetts, the previous Friday and were expected back on Tuesday afternoon.