[NEW DETAILS] Coast Guard Airlifts Family Who Swam from Blazing...

UPDATE – 10/24/25 – SAD NEWS: Cynthia “Cici” Sullivan, the mother airlifted off Naushon, has succumbed to her injuries on Thursday, according to multiple online sources. Cici was 72.

INITIAL HN REPORT:

WOODS HOLE, MASSACHUSETTS – In a dramatic rescue, the U.S. Coast Guard saved a mother, father, and son who swam to Naushon Island, Massachusetts, and took shelter in a remote barn on October 22, 2025, after their 30-foot pleasure craft, Third Wave, was engulfed in flames. The rescue underscores quick thinking, resilience, proper safety equipment, and the fortunate discovery of a marine radio washed ashore against all odds.

The ordeal began late Monday night when the family, who departed Eel Pond in Falmouth on Friday for a weekend anchored between Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard, awoke to flames consuming their vessel. Forced to abandon ship, they swam to Naushon Island and took refuge in a remote barn. With at least one family member suffering severe burns, their situation was dire. When calls to the family went to voicemail and cell phone pings failed to locate them, a concerned family member reported the vessel overdue Tuesday evening, prompting a search by Coast Guard Station Woods Hole, Coast Guard Cutter Razorbill, Falmouth Police, Falmouth Harbormaster, and Naushon Trust volunteers.

Rescue came Wednesday morning when the son discovered the vessel’s marine radio washed ashore. With it, the family issued a MAYDAY call, alerting the Coast Guard to their location. “Quick thinking and having quality equipment allowed the family to survive and call for help,” said Mr. Scott Backholm, a search and rescue mission coordinator from Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England.

Naushon Trust volunteers provided critical first aid, after which a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk aircrew from Air Station Cape Cod airlifted the family to Cape Cod Hospital for advanced care. Their condition remains undisclosed, but the successful island rescue concludes a harrowing ordeal, as some searchers began to fear they were lost at sea.

In their media statement, the Coast Guard stressed the importance of maritime preparedness. “Mariners are encouraged to pursue first aid training and ensure their vessels are outfitted with proper safety equipment,” Backholm added. The agency also reminded the public to contact Sector Southeastern New England via VHF channel 16 or (866) 819-9128 in case of a maritime emergency.

This extraordinary rescue underscores the unpredictable dangers of maritime activities and the vital role of preparedness and rapid response in saving lives.

The following is a very brief U.S. Coast Guard video of rescuers arriving on scene…

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