6 rescued, 1 injured when boat runs aground off Long Island's South Shore

EAST FIRE ISLAND (WABC) -- Suffolk County Police rescued three adults and three children from a boat that ran aground during a fishing trip on the Great South Bay on Saturday night.

Steven Kilmeade, 49, of Bayport, was operating his 33-foot Egg Harbor sport fishing boat eastbound when the boat hit a sand bar northeast of East Channel buoy number 11, off East Fire Island, police say.

When the vessel struck the sand bar, one of the passengers, Dustin Damrau, 40, of Medford, was thrown forward, causing him to suffer a head injury and lose consciousness.

Kilmeade called 911 and two Suffolk Police Marine Bureau vessels responded.

Once on board the accident vessel, officers rapidly assessed the condition of the passengers and provided first aid to Damrau, preparing him to be taken to a larger boat. He was then taken to Marine Bureau Headquarters at Timber Point in Great River for transport to the hospital by Exchange Ambulance.

Passengers Eric Lipuma, 41, of Bayport, and his 10-year-old son and 14-year-old friend, were uninjured. Damrau's 11-year-old son suffered minor injuries. All the passengers were removed from the accident vessel and transported to Timber Point. Kilmeade remained with the vessel to assist in salvage efforts.