RedactedNarrative: On 05/06/2021 at approximately 9:00 PM, Maryland Natural Resource Police, responded to a call from DNR Communications for a flare sighting on the Chesapeake Bay, south of the Bay Bridge. The call then evolved into a boating emergency for a capsized vessel. Through a further investigation it was found that a second vessel was involved, and an unknown barge. There were people reported to be in the water, with one possibly trapped in the capsized vessel. Eight Maryland Natural Resource Police Officers also responded to the call.    
  Myself and OFC 1 responded to the call aboard NRP 147 out of Sandy Point State Park at approximately 9:05 PM. I operated the vessel while OFC 1 was on watch. At the same time Anne Arundel Fire Department (AAFD) was boarding their vessel in response to the call. We left Mezick Pond and located the incident site, where AAFD and Coast Guard were onsite with the capsized vessel; a twenty foot and four inch 1996 Angler, Maryland registration 4657 BC, HIN ANGW0505D696. Myself and OFC 1 arrived on scene at approximately 9:15 PM. AAFD evacuated three Hispanic male subjects from the water. They were later identified as OPERATOR 1, the owner and operator of the capsized vessel, and two other passengers. AAFD advised that a fourth male subject, was trapped in the cuddy cabin of the overturned vessel.
  OFF 2 arrived onscene aboard NRP 850 at approximately 9:20. AAFD transferred the three rescued subjects to NRP 850, and OFC 1 joined OFC 2 to transport the subjects to Sandy Point State Park to meet EMS. Once onshore, they were treated by EMS. None of the subjects had suffered any physical injuries. All three subjects were interviewed by OFC 1 joined OFC 2
  At approximately 9:25 PM, Officers 3, OFC 4, and OFC 5 arrived on NRP 894. OFC 3, a member of the MD NRP Dive Team, had received permission from SOD to dive and assess the situation. OFC 3 entered the water at approximately 9:35 PM. In his assessment, OFC 3 found VICTIM 1 in the cabin, alive and wearing a life jacket. OFC 3 was able to reach VICTIM 1 and rescue him from the vessel cabin. VICTIM 1 was taken aboard City of Annapolis Fireboat 36 and received treatment for hypothermia. OFC 4 accompanied VICTIM 1 aboard Fireboat 36 back to Sandy Point State Park. Officers OFC 3 and OFC 5 returned to Sandy Point State Park aboard NRP 894. VICTIM 1 was evacuated by Maryland State Police Aviation to University of Maryland Medical Center.
  A second vessel, a twenty three foot 1992 Bayliner X, MD 1557 CJ, HIN BIYA02FTF192 was identified to be involved in the accident. The operator of the vessel was identified as OPERATOR 2 by OFC 4. The Bayliner’s bow pulpit had been broken off during the accident.
  I remained on scene with the overturned vessel along with AAFD, awaiting word for when Sea Tow would be able to recover the vessel for the owners. At approximately 10:55 PM, AAFD cleared the scene, leaving the overturned vessel in my charge. OFC 1 contacted me at approximately 11:00 PM, and advised me that Sea Tow was not going to be arriving that evening. OFC 1 asked if I would be capable of towing the capsized vessel to Matapeake where it would be secure and not a hazard to navigation. I advised that I was, and would make my way there with the vessel as soon as I had it secured for towing. While underway towards Matapeake, OFC 6 took up an escort position approximately two hundred feet off my starboard side aboard NRP 150. At approximately 11:35, I was less than two nautical miles from Matapeake when OFC 1 contacted me again. He advised that I needed to turn around and bring the overturned vessel back across the Bay, and find a location close to Sandy Point State Park to anchor it. I acknowledged, and changed course back to the western side of the Bay.
  At approximately 12:10 AM, 05/07/2021, I arrived at GPS coordinates N38*59'54" W076*23'58", which is between the Bay Bridge and the top of Hackett’s Bar. OFC 6 pulled alongside and rendered assistance in anchoring the vessel. We secured an anchor to the D ring on the keel of the capsized vessel, with enough line to account for tide change. Subsequently, we attached a life jacket to line on the D ring as well. At this time I took pictures of the vessel, and while doing so noticed the bottom tip of the outboard motor was bent and mangled. Along the starboard side of the capsized vessel I found multiple markings that were likely caused by the propeller of the secondary vessel. I then released the capsized vessel from NRP 147, allowing it to drift free. Once it had drifted approximately ten feet clear, I threw the anchor. OFC 6 and I remained on scene to ensure that the capsized vessel remained anchored, and would not drift further into the Bay.
  At approximately 1:05 AM, myself and OFC 6 cleared the scene.
  On 05/13/2021 at approximately 9:00 AM I met with OPERATOR 2 at Sandy Point State Park for an interview about the accident. OPERATOR 2 advised that on 05/06/2021 he had left Sandy Point State Park at approximately 5:00 PM. He was accompanied by two others. They fished for approximately three hours before OPERATOR 2’s vessel ran out of fuel. OPERATOR 2’s companions advised that their friend was out fishing on his boat, and could help. OPERATOR 1 met with OPERATOR 2, and took them aboard his vessel, before attaching lines to tow OPERATOR 2’s disabled boat back to Sandy Point State Park. OPERATOR 2 remained aboard his boat for the ride back. At an unknown time, OPERATOR 1 realized that he was in a head on collision course with an ‘unlit’ barge. OPERATOR 2 saw OPERATOR 1 maneuver his vessel out of the path of the barge to avoid a head-on collision, and instead impacted with the side of the barge. The impact threw OPERATOR 1’s vessel off, and the wake from the barge forced it to capsize. The violence of force from OPERATOR 1’s vessel capsizing wrenched the towline attached to OPERATOR 2’s vessel, and it broke the bow pulpit from his vessel. OPERATOR 2 ignited flares, and tried signaling to the barge with his horn.
  On 05/13/2021 at approximately 1:00 PM I met with OPERATOR 1 at Sandy Point State Park for an interview about the accident. OPERATOR 1 advised that on 05/06/2021 he had left Sandy Point State Park at approximately 4:00 PM to go fishing. He had one passenger onboard when he left. They travelled south, and had not yet begun to fish when PASSENGER 1 received a call from OPERATOR 2 asking for assistance after running out of fuel. OPERATOR 1 turned his vessel around, and went to assist OPERATOR 2. Upon arrival, OPERATOR 1 took OPERATOR 2’s passengers aboard his vessel, and secured a line to the bow of the disabled vessel to a stern cleat on his vessel. OPERATOR 1 then proceeded to tow the disabled Bayliner on a north east course towards the Bay Bridge to return to Sandy Point State Park. All passengers onboard were outside of the cabin. When they were approximately a mile from the bridge, OPERATOR 1 realized that he was on a collision course with a barge. OPERATOR 1 was able to steer his vessel to port and avoid a head on collision, but still impacted with the side of the barge. The force of the impact and the wake thrown from the barge caused OPERATOR 1’s vessel to capsize. OPERATOR 1, PASSENGER 1, and PASSENGER 2 were able to swim clear of the capsized vessel. VICTIM 1 was trapped inside the cuddy cabin of the capsized vessel.