HEADACHE
By Brian White
Divers search for 3 missing passengers of capsized water taxi in Baltimore
"Brother, it was like the end of the Titanic movie once that thing lifted up," King said
BALTIMORE (AP) - The navy reservists whose quick work helped save 21 people aboard a water taxi that capsized described the horrific scene in which they made their rescue: survivors clinging to the overturned vessel in frigid, choppy water pounded by rain, telling them more were trapped below. A 60-year-old woman was killed in Saturday's accident in Baltimore Harbor and three people, including a six-year-old boy, were missing, but the reservists said Sunday they were relieved the loss of life wasn't even greater. The sailors rushed to the scene after seeing the boat in trouble. After passengers clinging to the water taxi told them others were trapped underneath, the rescuers used a ramp on their troop landing ship to lift the water taxi partly out of the water, Petty Officer Jeffrey King said.
"Brother, it was like the end of the Titanic movie once that thing lifted up," King said. "I mean those bodies just floated up." Fire and police officials also assisted in the rescue. Two people, an eight-year-old girl and a 30-year-old woman, were critically injured when the 10-metre pontoon boat overturned with 23 passengers and two crew members. The ferry had just set off across the harbour from historic Fort McHenry on the way to the city's Fells Point when it was caught by wind gusting to 80 km/h. The boat, which was at full capacity, was equipped with life preservers but passengers are not required to wear them. Twenty-two people were removed from the water but one woman died at a hospital. Seven remained hospitalized Sunday. On Sunday, recovery crews used boats, helicopters, sonar and dogs trained to find submerged bodies in the search for the boy, a 26-year-old man and 26-year-old woman. They stopped about 6 p.m. because of bad weather, and officials said they would begin again early Monday morning. Authorities had not released the victims' names by Sunday evening. The missing boy was identified as Daniel Bentrem by Thomas Tran, a college student living with the boy's parents, George and Elizabeth Bentrem of Rockingham County, Va. Tran told The Daily News Record of Harrisonburg that Daniel's eight-year-old sister, Sarah, was admitted to the University of Maryland Medical Center and has been released from the trauma unit. Investigators said they were looking at the weather and the condition and operation of the vessel as possible factors in the accident. National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Ellen Engleman-Conners said officials were interviewing survivors and witnesses, and were awaiting voluntary toxicology tests conducted Sunday on the captain and first mate. Engleman-Conners said the boat would be removed from the water so investigators could do complete hull and steering system inspections. She said an initial inspection found that the steering system appeared to be intact. She said officials also inspected five other boats operated by the Living Classrooms Foundation, which operates the 11 Seaport Taxis. Police Maj. Fred Bealefeld said three of the people on board were from Puerto Rico and others were from Illinois, New Jersey, North Carolina and Virginia.