8501 Veterans Highway Millersville, MD 21108
Phone (410) 222-8200

  County Executive Steuart Pittman
Fire Chief Trisha L. Wolford
Media Release

April 3rd, 2020

Contact: Captain Erik Kornmeyer
410-222-8746 (Media Line)
Open Water Rescue- Shady Side (Chesapeake Bay)
 
Date:   Thursday, April 3rd, 2020
Time:   4:29 p.m.
Location/Address:   1500 Robinson Road, Shadyside, MD 20764
Type of Incident:   Open Water Rescue
Description of vessel:   kayak with two people on board
Assisting Fire Departments:   Annapolis Fire Department, Maryland Natural Resources Police, Maryland State Police - Aviation Division, United States Coast Guard Air Station Cape May, NJ, Queen Anne's County, and Calvert County.
Additional Information:   At 4:30pm, our 911 Center received a call from a concerned citizen. From the Columbia Beach community pier, the caller stated he saw two people in a small canoe or kayak drifting in the bay. A water rescue assignment was dispatched to the area bringing marine resources to the area. Firefighters arrived at the pier and confirmed the sighting of two people in a small vessel several miles from the pier drifting south in the Chesapeake Bay. Boats and helicopters began a search of the Chesapeake Bay.

At 7pm, the kayak and a paddle were recovered east of Rockhold Creek in Deale, MD by United States Coast Guard and the Fireboat from the City of Annapolis Fire Department.

At 7:30pm the search was called off due to darkness.

Maryland Natural Resources Police is the lead investigating agency.

The Anne Arundel County Fire Department Dive Team and Marine Division are currently assisting the Maryland Natural Resources Police with the search for the missing persons.
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