RedactedNarrative: On September 18, 2022, at approximately 3:30 p.m. I heard a call for a possible boat accident that occurred in the Nanticoke River that had resulted in an injury. Dorchester county alert stated that an individual had fallen off a sailboat and that a member on a tug boat had brought the subject on board, and they were starting CPR.
  
      When I arrived on scene at Cedar Hill Marina, I was met by a member of the Westside Fire Department who stated that the subject was deceased. I was advised that the sailing club (Eastern Shore Sailing Association) was able to bring the sailboat back to the slip and that there was another man on board the vessel at the time this occurred. The man was identified and stated that he had gone out to sail with the victim. While making a turn, the boom came across, hitting Operator and tossing him into the water, he said the lines of the sailboat were all knotted up, and he could not grab and throw a life jacket over. While trying to gain control of the boat, he lost visual contact with Operator and didn't know where he was.
  
      A tug boat named "Captain Ted" witnessed this and recorded the coordinates as N 38.19917, W -75.53983, which plotted in front of Wetipquin Creek, and a mate on the tug had jumped overboard to help Operator and brought him aboard. In addition, a Nurse who was a part of the sailing club had come to the tug to start CPR on Operator. The mate stated that they spent 31 minutes giving CPR before the members of the Westside Fire Department arrived on the scene. EMT said he was lifeless and pronounced him deceased at 3:59 p.m. 
  
  I was able to get a written statement from Occupant as Operator's body was brought into Cedar Hill Marina by the fire department. SOD was notified, and Cpl arrived on the scene at approximately 5:30 p.m. to complete the investigation.
  
  All events occurred in Wicomico County, MD.
  
  On September 18, 2022 at approximately 1620 hours I, Cpl. of the Maryland Natural Resources Police Criminal Investigations Section, was contacted by Sgt. in regards to a fatal boating accident that had occurred on the Nanticoke River in Wicomico County, MD.  According to the call notes, at approximately 1530 hours the US Coast Guard was hailed over channel 16 in reference to an unconscious person, identified aboard a tugboat.  The call notes further stated that AED had been applied to Operator but all resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.  Operator was declared deceased by West Side Fire Department at approximately 1559 hours.
  
  While enroute to the West Side Fire Department station I made contact with NRP Dispatch and requested that a Forensic Investigator respond to the scene.  I was also able to make contact with Ofc. who made me aware that Operator had entered the water from his own sailboat (MD Registration 1244 CH) after being struck by the boom.  The vessel had been operated back to Cedar Hill Marina and Ofc. was with the vessel.  Additionally Ofc. had collected a written statement from the other individual on the vessel with Operator,  and that he would be waiting for me at the fire station to be interviewed.
  
  I arrived to West Side Fire Department at approximately 1750 hours and was informed that Operator’s wife, was on her way to the fire station.  According to Ofc.1 a friend had contacted Victim’s wife and made her aware that Operator had been in an accident.  Upon Victim’s wife’s arrival I confirmed her information and she informed me that she and Operator were separated at this time.  I explained to Victim’s wife that there had been a sailing accident and that Operator had been declared deceased.  She was visibly upset and stated that their friend had called to tell her that Operator had died but did not have many details of what happened. 
  
  After giving Victim’s wife the basic details of the accident and I then gathered some background information on Operator.  According to Victim’s wife, Operator was an avid sailor with more than 20 years of experience on the water.  Operator was a healthy individual who ate healthy, played tennis regularly, and was a confident swimmer.  Operator was a former Green Beret and current pilot for American Airlines.  Victim’s wife did state that he had been diagnosed with high blood pressure and had been told by a doctor that he had a valve that could cause issues but he was not medicated for this as far as she knew.  She also stated that Operator had quit smoking 13 years ago, did not use recreational drugs, and had been sober for 20 years.
  
  I explained to Victim’s wife that Operator would be transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore, MD for an autopsy and provided her with the OCME Case Number.  I then confirmed that she would be the next of kin to which she said she would be.  According to Victim’s wife, Operator no longer had any living parents but he did have 4 siblings who were spread out among the country.  She stated that she would contact them about what had happened.
  
  At that time I approached Occupant and asked if he would be able to speak with me.  He stated that he could and I asked him to tell me what had happened out on the water that day.  Occupant stated that he and Operator were members of the Eastern Shore Sailing Association and that he had been sailing with Operator all season.  According to Occupant the season started in May and the racing season had ended the previous week.  The race that was taking place that day was just for fun and there were 5 boats involved with Occupant and Operator being the last boat in the line. 
  
  Occupant estimated that the race started at 1400 hours and that he and Operator had been sailing for approximately 40 minutes when the incident took place.  They were travelling downwind towards red buoy number 10 in the Nanticoke River.  Operator was on the right side of vessel leaning forward to grab the jib sheet in order to pull it in after making a left turn around the buoy. 
  
  While making the turn the boom swung from left to right which knocked him into the water.  Occupant was manning the tiller at this time and attempted to maneuver the sailboat closer to Operator in order to throw him a life preserver.  According to Occupant the jib lines became tangled and wrapped and he only had the main sail available to him. He stated he tried to tack back and forth and get the sailboat close to Operator but it was very difficult since it was only him left on the boat. He stated that he got the vessel within 20 yards of Operator at one point but the wind and current pushed him away. Occupant estimated that Operator was in the water for 5-10 minutes treading water and shouting at him to throw him a life jacket when eventually the crew on a tug boat that had been behind them the whole time were able to retrieve Operator from the water.
  
  When asked if the boat was fully under sail at the time of the accident, Occupant stated it was.  He also explained that he attempted to start the motor while Operator was in the water but it took multiple attempts before he was able to.  He also stated that he was wearing a life preserver during the race but Operator was not.  When asked if it is normal to participate in a sailing race with two people Occupant stated that it is usually a three person minimum endeavor. I gathered Occupant’s contact information and told him I would contact him if more information was needed.
  
  Victim’s wife, Occupant, and Victim’s wife’s stepdaughter all cleared from the fire department and returned to Cedar Hill Marina in order to take possession of Operator’s vessel.  FI then proceeded to perform an initial examination of Operator. He was able to locate a laceration with swelling and blood on the back of Operator’s head as well as some scrapes that could b
  