Overview
- The Sullivan family’s 30-foot boat caught fire late Monday while they slept, forcing them to swim to Naushon Island and shelter in a barn for roughly 30–36 hours.
- Early Wednesday the son found the vessel’s marine radio on the beach and issued a mayday, after which Naushon Trust volunteers provided first aid and a Coast Guard helicopter airlifted the three to Cape Cod Hospital.
- The family said Friday that Cynthia Sullivan died after the rescue; Patrick Sullivan remains in a Boston burn unit and Tyler Sullivan is being treated for burns and smoke inhalation.
- The U.S. Coast Guard is leading the investigation with assistance from Massachusetts State Police, and officials have described the blaze as possibly electrical while the exact cause remains under review.
- Coast Guard officials praised the role of reliable safety gear, urging mariners to carry quality equipment after the multi-agency search struggled to reach the overdue boaters by phone.