Christopher Hallahan Obituary, Death; – Two individuals remain unaccounted for following a boating incident in Long Island Sound on Labor Day, which resulted in the death of one of their companions. The search for the missing boaters is set to continue on Wednesday.
As reported by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection EnCon police, a group of nine friends was aboard a 31-foot motorboat returning from Block Island when it collided with a dock at the entrance of the Connecticut River at approximately 9:15 p.m. on Monday.
The deceased individual, identified by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection as Christopher Hallahan, 34, from Westbrook, was discovered inside the vessel. Six other passengers were transported to the hospital, with one in critical condition, as stated by Connecticut Environmental Police Captain Keith Williams on Tuesday morning.
Authorities suspect that the critically injured individual was operating the boat, although this has yet to be confirmed. One of the six has since been discharged from the hospital, while two men remain missing.
The tragic incident resulted in one fatality in Old Saybrook on Monday night, with two individuals still unaccounted for and five others hospitalized. The search for the missing men was temporarily halted overnight and is scheduled to resume on Wednesday morning.
The overturned boat was retrieved from the river on Tuesday and was lifted from the water around 11:30 a.m.
The investigation is ongoing, with authorities examining potential factors contributing to the crash, including visibility conditions and speed. The search efforts were paused on Tuesday evening at approximately 7:30 p.m. and recommenced on Wednesday morning at 8:00 a.m.
Officials from DEEP indicated that if no individuals are located by Wednesday, the search will be suspended at sunset and will continue on Thursday morning. One person lost their life in a boating accident in Old Saybrook on Monday night, while two others remain missing and five individuals are currently hospitalized.
The names of the other passengers have not been disclosed by officials, but it has been noted that they are connected to the local community. Multiple agencies, including police and fire departments from surrounding towns, the state police dive unit, and a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter, are involved in the search efforts.
