Adrian Perez, the Upper Marlboro father whose boat sank on Sunday with five other people aboard, has been found, Natural Resources Police stated yesterday.
Perez was onboard his 17-foot center console when it experienced engine trouble and sank just north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. A good Samaritan, Shawn Harlan, was sailing single handed nearby and was able to rescue five of the six boaters. Perez's body had already gone under and could not be located.
Our condolences go out to the Perez family.
The Maryland DNR is holding a safety precaution meeting tomorrow, and in advance has issued the following statement, which bears reading.
Boating accidents have claimed the lives of 17 people so far this year, five more than all of 2014 and just two below the highest total in recent years. The victims ranged in age from 7-63. The last three fatalities have been in the waters of Anne Arundel County. With at least a month of boating season remaining, NRP and its partner agencies are taking steps to increase safety awareness, provide expert assistance and raise the visibility of enforcement efforts.
Priority No. 1: Getting boaters to wear life jackets. At least 14 of this year's fatalities involved people who were not wearing a life jacket. It only takes 60 seconds for an adult to drown and 20 seconds for a child to drown. Yet, in many cases, life jackets are stowed out of reach or they are still in their original shrink wrapping. Life jackets only work when you wear them.
