Fatal Waves Cause Boat Accident in Chesapeake Bay

An 18-foot aluminum fishing boat foot overturned in Chesapeake Bay stranding all six passengers aboard in the freezing water.

Police, Fire, Rescue, Coast Guard, and Virginia and Maryland Pilot Association Personnel responded to a distress call on January 14, just before 9:00 a.m. About 25 minutes later, a Coast Guard helicopter located the boat and rescued two of the victims, airlifting them to a local hospital. The Maryland Pilot boat rescued two victims, a Coast Guard boat rescued one, and the Virginia Beach Police Marine Patrol boat rescued the remaining victim.

All six victims were suffering from hypothermia and emergency medical treatment was immediately initiated on them. The four victims rescued by boats were taken to shore to a waiting ambulance and then rushed to the hospital. All of the victims were adult men from Arizona.

Shortly after 10:00 a.m., one victim, Ned Rokey, 89, was pronounced dead. At 12:55 p.m. the second victim and owner of the boat, Allen Ray Dedrick, 69, was pronounced dead at the hospital. Three of the four victims are recovering in the hospital. The other victim was treated and released.

The preliminary investigation discovered that a wave had washed over the boat and caused the engine to stall out. While the men attempted to restart the boat, both wind and wave conditions caused the boat to turn as waves continued to hit the stem of the boat. When the boat began to fill up with water, the driver of the boat called in a distress call, but the boat capsized before rescuers were able to get to the scene.

No charges are pending at this time.