Man Rescued from Icy Waters in Portsmouth

Firefighters worked against challenging weather conditions and rescued a man from a sinking boat in the waters off Common Fence Point Thursday night.

Michael P. O’Brien, deputy chief of the Portsmouth Fire Department, said that the call came into Portsmouth Fire Dispatch at around 6:53 p.m. reporting a vessel sinking in the waters off Common Fence Point.

Additional callers reported the boat’s location was off Anthony Road and that a flare had been fired.

Units from Portsmouth’s Marine 2, along with crews from Bristol Fire Department, Coast Guard Castle Hill, Cranston Fire Department, North Kingston Fire Department, and Warwick Fire Department responded to the incident, though Cranston, North Kingstown and Warwick were cancelled before they arrived.

Portsmouth responders found the boat partially submerged about 100 yards from shore and the boater was bought onto the Portsmouth marine unit and transported to Sakonnet Sportsman’s Club for evaluation.

O’Brien said the temperature was about 20 degrees during the rescue and boat operators had trouble with visibility and reported icing conditions.

“All responders should be commended for the hazards they overcame to effect the rescue of this man,” O’Brien said.