Three boaters rescued by State Police helicopter crew near Anne Arundel County shore

SHADY SIDE, Md. — Maryland State Police said three boaters were rescued from two distressed boats off the Anne Arundel County shore Saturday night.

The Anne Arundel County Emergency Operations Center answered a call from a boater who was offshore near Shady Side. The boater told members at the Operations Center that two vessels were taking on water and three passengers were stranded on a marshy shoreline. Officials said the Anne Arundel County Fire Department reached out to the Maryland State Police Aviation Command for assistance to locate the boaters.

State Police said they immediately dispatched Trooper 2, the Command’s helicopter stationed at Joint Base Andrews in Prince George’s County.

When police arrived, they found the boaters in a marshy area near the shore, east of Deep Creek. The aircrew was able to direct Anne Arundel County Fire Department boats to the location. Rescuers had a difficult time getting closer to the stranded boaters, due to the shallow water. The Anne Arundel County Fire Department requested Trooper 2 perform an aerial rescue.

The crew of Trooper 2 prepared the installed hoist system and rescue basket aboard the AW-139 aircraft. All three passengers were successfully hoisted from the marsh, secured inside the aircraft, and transported to Deale Elementary School where they were transferred to Anne Arundel County Fire Department for further evaluation.