Woman Dies Day After Family Rescued from Fire at Sea

NAUSHON ISLAND, Massachusetts — A woman died Thursday, one day after she and her family were rescued from a remote island after their boat caught fire. Cynthia Sullivan, 73, succumbed to her injuries. Her family reported her death in a Facebook post on Friday.

According to Boston 25 News, Sullivan and her husband, Patrick, 72, along with their son Tyler, 37, were stranded on Naushon Island after their 30-foot powerboat, The Third Wave, caught fire while anchored in Tarpaulin Cove overnight Monday.

The family’s dog alerted them to the blaze while they slept, prompting them to jump into the water and swim about four miles to the small island. They suffered burns and injuries while escaping the flames. Once on the island, they sought shelter in a barn where they waited for more than 24 hours until their marine radio washed ashore on Wednesday morning.

Using the radio, Tyler contacted the U.S. Coast Guard, urgently stating, “Mayday, mayday, mayday, our ship went down in Tarpaulin Cove. Our ship burned while we were sleeping, and we barely escaped.” A helicopter soon arrived to rescue the family, airlifting them to Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis.

A family member had reported the Sullivans missing when they failed to return home on Tuesday. Attempts to reach them by phone were unsuccessful, as their cellphones had gone down with the boat. Multiple agencies conducted search efforts until Tyler was finally able to reach the Coast Guard via the handheld radio.

Chris Sullivan, a family member, shared updates about his mother and honored his brother’s bravery in a Facebook post. He wrote, “My brother saved both of them, he was able to get them off the boat under extremely chaotic circumstances. He doesn’t want to be called a hero, but he is.”

Scott Backholm, a Coast Guard mission coordinator, emphasized the importance of safety equipment and training for mariners. “Quick thinking and having quality equipment allowed the family to survive and call for help,” he stated.

The Sullivans had departed from nearby Massachusetts, planning to return home on Tuesday afternoon.