A weekend boating accident off Singing Beach in Manchester-by-the-Sea left one man dead, another missing, and a third hospitalized, according to local authorities. The tragedy unfolded just before 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3, when the U.S. Coast Guard received emergency reports of a vessel in distress off the Massachusetts coast. Three male passengers and one dog ended up in the water as the situation deteriorated.
According to the Office of Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker and Manchester Police Chief Mark McCoy, marine units and police crews from neighboring Essex and Beverly were dispatched immediately to the scene. Rescuers located two men—aged 67 and 65—struggling in the water and pulled them out before transporting them for urgent medical care.
Multi-Agency Search and Rescue Operations
As of 10 p.m. Saturday, emergency responders were actively continuing their search for the third missing passenger, a 37-year-old man. The fourth member of the group, a dog, was successfully recovered alive from the water. Northeast Massachusetts Emergency Alerts reported that the distressed vessel may have initially become entangled in lobster gear before drifting onto rocks.
Manchester-by-the-Sea Fire Chief James McNeilly noted that the primary search radius centered approximately a quarter-mile from the shore. Officials cautioned that it is difficult to estimate how long the missing individual could survive without knowing what kind of clothing the person is wearing or what injuries he might have sustained.
A broad coalition of public safety organizations responded to the emergency, including Coast Guard Station Gloucester and Air Station Cape Cod, alongside the Boston, Salem, Beverly, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and Gloucester harbormasters. Additional support was provided by the Massachusetts State Police, the Gloucester Police Department, the Beverly Fire Department and its dive team, and the Massachusetts Environmental Police.
Recovery Efforts and Next Steps
Chief McCoy stated that search operations continued through the night. Authorities anticipate that the Massachusetts State Police will deploy a side-sonar unit to assist with the search Sunday.
The investigation remains active as local and state agencies coordinate their ongoing recovery and maritime safety operations.
