Ocean City Fire Department Responds to Boating Propeller Injury in North Sinepuxent Bay

Ocean City, MD - On Sunday, July 13, 2025, at approximately 4:00 PM, the Ocean City Fire Department responded to a distress call involving a serious boating accident in the North Sinepuxent Bay speed zone. The distress call, transmitted via VHF Channel 16, reported a person had sustained injuries after being struck by a vessel and its propeller.

Ocean City Fire Boat 1, which was conducting training exercises in the vicinity, arrived at the scene within minutes. Upon arrival, the crew identified a Good Samaritan vessel that had retrieved the injured individual from the water and initiated first aid measures.

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and Paramedics onboard Fire Boat 1 immediately took over and transferred the patient onto the fire boat. Advanced life-saving procedures were initiated promptly.

Coordinated efforts to stabilize the injured party were carried out while Fire Boat 1 maintained proximity to the vessel involved in the incident.

Additional support was provided by the Maryland Natural Resources Police and the United States Coast Guard, both of which were active at the incident site.

The Maryland State Police Aviation Command was requested, and Trooper 4, an advanced rescue helicopter, was dispatched to respond.

The injured individual was transported by Fire Boat 1 to the U.S. Coast Guard Station Ocean City, Maryland. From there, the patient was transferred to an awaiting Ocean City ambulance for continued medical care until Trooper 4 arrived to airlift them for advanced treatment.

"This is one of several serious trauma calls our Fire Boat has intercepted recently while out training," said Lieutenant Jeff Apperance, Fire Boat Commander. "Our personnel train continuously to ensure that our visitors receive high-quality care, no matter the type of emergency, on land or on the water."

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources - Natural Resources Police has launched an investigation into the incident to determine the circumstances surrounding the case.