UPDATE 8/3/2022: Calvert and Charles County Dive Teams along with firefighters from Charles and St. Mary’s County operated on the scene for over 6 hours on Monday.
Divers recovered the 10-year-old victim late Monday night just before 11:00 p.m. Once recovering the child, firefighters called the search off due to nightfall and one dive boat having a mechanical/electrical issue.
The search continued early Tuesday morning and around 11:00 a.m., divers recovered the adult male victim from the water.
U.S. Coast Guard Officials released the following information:
Elias Isai Sandoval Pimentel, 43, of Front Royal, VA, his wife, and three children had anchored their 23-foot bowrider on the Potomac River when two of their children, ages 10 and 12 years old, were swimming and began to struggle in the water. Mr. Pimentel entered the water and tried to help the children when he and the 10-year-old son disappeared in the water and did not resurface.
Multiple Good Samaritans in the area jumped into action, and specifically due to the actions of Captain Kelli Gutierrez and Captain Jenifer Fritz, the 12-year-old female was rescued before drowning. More details of the Good Samaritans can be read here:
Emergency medical personnel transported the child with non-life-threatening injuries. The mother and infant child were transported as well, however, both were unharmed.
Police are continuing their investigation and further updates will be provided at a later date.
8/1/2022: On Monday, August 1, 2022, at approximately 4:35 p.m., police, fire and rescue personnel responded to Swan Point in Charles County, for the water rescue.
Dispatchers advised the 911 caller reported one adult and three children were in the water and in distress.
Before the arrival of First Responders, multiple Good Samaritans on jet skis and other vessels responded and rescued two children from the water before losing sight of an adult male and one child.
Once firefighters arrived on the scene, Newburg Boat 14 removed a 36-year-old female, a 12-year-old female, and a 10-year-old male from the citizens boat and transported them to awaiting emergency medical personnel on land. The Good Samaritans stated the female child was nearly underwater and drowning when they pulled her from the water.
All three victims were conscious and breathing, emergency medical personnel transported them to an area hospital.
The remaining two missing victims are reportedly father and son. A 43-year-old male wearing a black shirt, and 10-year-old male wearing a blue shirt.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard stated a family of five was swimming from shore to their anchored boat when they began to experience distress. Someone nearby assisted the other family members while the father attempted to help his son. The two disappeared after the boy was struggling to swim.
Maryland State Police Trooper 7, U.S. Park Police Eagle 1, Charles County Dive Team, Calvert County Dive Team, and firefighters from Charles and St. Mary’s County responded to assist in the search. The U.S. Coast Guard, Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded and are investigating.
Crews searched for nearly 1 hour and 15 minutes before calling off the search due to high tide, personnel resumed search operations later in the day and additional searches will be conducted early Tuesday morning on August 2, 2022.
