Boater, nurse save 3 children caught in current off Gloucester, Massachusetts beach

A boater and a nurse saved three children caught in a current off a beach in Gloucester, Massachusetts, authorities said and all three children are now expected to survive.

The Gloucester fire and police departments said the children – ages 5, 8 and 14 years old – were swimming at Wingaersheek Beach around 7 p.m. Tuesday when they wandered off a sandbar and fell into the current of the Annisquam River as the tide was coming in.

“Even at low tide, it’s well over your head that the current is moving way faster than a kid or even most adults can manage,” said Gloucester Fire Chief Eric Smith. “If they’re out of arm’s reach and they step off, it is a steep drop and a lot of water moving, so they’re gone.”

Boater and nurse save children off Gloucester

The children were rescued by boater Christian Dagley. As he brought them to the Annisquam Yacht Club on River Road, Keri Ann Perry, a nurse on his boat, began performing CPR on the 5-year-old girl.

Two of the children were rushed to Addison Gilbert Hospital in Gloucester and later ended up at Boston Children’s Hospital. Both are expected to survive.

The 5-year-old girl was admitted in critical condition, but she was upgraded to serious on Wednesday afternoon. The 14-year-old girl remains in serious condition, but was “doing better as well,” a spokesperson for the fire department said in a statement.

The 8-year-old boy is with his parents. All three children and their family are from Lowell.

“I heard the radio call, I could tell it was a panicked situation,” said boater Steve Eceff, who was out on the water at the time. He rushed over to help but Dagley and Perry had already rescued the children. “I’ve known Chris for a long time, if something like this is going to happen, he’s the guy you want to do it.”

“Could have turned out very different”

“Had it not been for a brave couple on a boat rescuing the patients, and combined efforts by GFD crews, GPD crews, Boston Medflight, and the great staff at Addison Gilbert Hospital, yesterday could have turned out very different. Our thoughts are with all involved,” the Gloucester Firefighters union said in a statement.

“The pilot and occupants of the private vessels that intervened in this incident undoubtedly saved the lives of these children,” said Smith said in a statement. “I want to thank those individuals for their care and attention, which made a real difference. I also want to remind all residents and visitors to be cautious when using Gloucester beaches. Tidal currents can be extremely strong, and they are capable of pulling any swimmer into deeper water.”

Second rescue

Dagley received the Mariner’s Medal in 2017 for similar heroics, when he saved a man, woman, and child from 45-degree water near the mouth of the Annisquam River.  

Annisquam Yacht Club is a private sailing club that opened in 1896, according to its website. 

Gloucester is about an hour north of Boston.