Two men have died and two others in critical condition after a boat capsized on Long Island Sound on Sunday morning.
Emergency crews from several departments were alerted of a report of a possible small boat in distress in Long Island Sound off of Shippan Point in Stamford around 10:20 a.m.
Officials with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said the four adult men were in a small boat and were all wearing lifejackets when the boat capsized on Long Island Sound about one mile offshore from West Beach in Stamford.
Fire officials said initial information stated that three people were off of Shippan Point in a small 12-foot boat and were not able to return to shore due to strong winds and rough seas. The boat was being carried by the tide and wind away from Stamford when the last cell phone call was made to a family member from one of the people onboard the small boat, they added.
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First responders were hampered in determining the exact location of the boat due to a language barrier and due to conflicting reports of the boat's last known location, investigators said.
Dispatchers said they used the caller's cell phone number to access the Carbyne 911 cellular tracking software to pinpoint the last known location of one of the callers from the boat. The software was able to move fire and police rescue boats to the area.
Once in the area, debris believed to be from the boat was found in the water. Police and fire boats were able to locate four men in the three to four foot swells, firefighters said.
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Two of the men pulled from the water were unconscious and unresponsive while the other two were both semi-responsive, investigators said. All four men were brought to shore and were transported to area hospitals.
Two of the men were pronounced dead at the hospital after life-saving efforts were unsuccessful, according to DEEP. Their identities have not been released while their next of kin is notified.
The other two men who were transported to the hospital are in critical condition, Stamford firefighters said.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
