In a tragic turn to what began as a family boating trip, a mother has died following a fire that left her, along with her husband and son, stranded on an island off Massachusetts. After their vessel, the Third Wave, caught fire late Monday, the family was forced to seek refuge on Naushon Island, found northwest of Martha's Vineyard. In a statement obtained by WCVB, the family awoke to find their boat engulfed in flames and "barely escaped" to safety. Cici Sullivan, the mother, succumbed to her injuries on Thursday night, her son, Chris Sullivan, confirmed to WBZ-TV.
The family had departed from Eel Pond in Falmouth and was expected to return by Tuesday afternoon. Their absence prompted a family member to report them overdue, leading to a search and rescue operation. Chris Sullivan provided heart-wrenching details to both WCVB and CBS Boston, saying, "My mom passed last night. She went in peace," and adding, "She was the most caring, loving, tough woman I have ever known." The Coast Guard ultimately airlifted the family from the island after their mayday call was received.
The U.S. Coast Guard is currently leading the investigation into the incident, with assistance from the Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the Cape and Islands district attorney's office. The cause of the boat fire remains unknown and it's not been determined whether an equipment failure or other issue might have been a factor. The tragic outcome has cast a somber light on maritime safety, with the Coast Guard and other safety agencies reiterating the importance of having proper equipment and training to manage such emergencies.
Patrick Sullivan, Cici's husband, was flown to a burn unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, where, according to his son Chris, he was awake and "breathing on his own." Tyler, the other son who escaped the boat, is still recovering from smoke inhalation and burns, as reported by Hoodline. Chris's social media tribute also highlighted his brother's actions, saying, "My brother saved both of them, he was able to get them off the boat under extremely chaotic circumstances, he doesn't want to be called a hero, but he is," as mentioned on WCVB.
