60-Year-Old Woman Killed In Newport Boat Crash

NEWPORT, RI — A crash between a sailboat and a private motorboat killed a woman on Sunday afternoon. The victim, 60, was a crewmember on the sailboat, racing in the New England 100 Regatta.

The crash happened at 2:45 p.m. near the Newport Pell Bridge, on the Jamestown side, the Department of Environmental Management said. Both the U.S. Coast Guard and Newport Harbormaster were called to the scene. The harbormaster, who arrived first, pulled the woman's body from the water, the DEM said. She was later pronounced dead and her identity is being withheld at this time, pending notification of her family.

The Coast Guard sent a 29-foot response boat from Station Castle Hill in Newport to assist, a spokesperson said.

The two boats, a two-person catamaran sailboat and a motorboat, which the Coast Guard said is approximately 25 feet, were taken back to Fort Adams. According to the DEM, alcohol was not a factor in the crash.