Massachusetts Family Survives Boat Fire and Two-Day Ordeal on Island Near Cape Cod
- BoatBlurb Contributor
- 16 hours ago
- 2 min read

A harrowing ordeal ended Wednesday when a family was rescued from Naushon Island — the largest of the Elizabeth Islands off Cape Cod — after their boat caught fire and they spent nearly two days stranded on shore.
Three members of the Sullivan family departed from Eel Pond, near Falmouth, Massachusetts, on Friday aboard their 30-foot Chris-Craft vessel named Third Wave and were expected back Tuesday afternoon. When they failed to return, concerned family members filed a missing persons alert late Tuesday evening.
According to a U.S. Coast Guard statement, a fire broke out Monday night while the family was anchored near Naushon Island. They were awoken by their barking dogs, both of which tragically died in the blaze. As the fire took hold, the family was forced to abandon ship, swimming to the nearby island through the frigid Atlantic waters.
Once ashore, the Sullivans took refuge in a barn near the island’s lighthouse where they awaited rescue for nearly 42 hours. In an unbelievable turn, while holed up on the beachhead the handheld marine radio from their boat washed ashore, allowing them to make a mayday call. Volunteers from the Naushon Trust received the mayday and began coordinating a rescue alongside the U.S. Coast Guard. A USCG MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Cape Cod then located the family and returned them to the mainland. The search involved the Coast Guard, the Falmouth Police Department, the Falmouth Harbormaster, and local volunteers.

“Quick thinking and having quality equipment allowed the family to survive and call for help,” said Scott Backholm, a search and rescue mission coordinator from Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England, in a statement. “Mariners are encouraged to pursue first aid training and ensure their vessels are outfitted with proper safety equipment.”
During their escape from the burning boat, the father, Patrick Sullivan, sustained severe burns and smoke inhalation. He was transported to Boston’s Brigham and Women's hospital burn unit, while the mother, Cici Sullivan, was taken to Cape Cod Hospital and remained in an intensive care unit in critical but stable condition. Their son, Tyler, suffered third-degree burns on his arm and smoke inhalation but was reported stable.
Investigators say the family’s vessel remains missing and is likely severely damaged by the fire.
Naushon Island lies between Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound, and while remote, it is still accessible via marine and air rescue operations.
"The family would like to express our deepest gratitude to the U.S. Coast Guard and all emergency personnel who participated in the search and rescue efforts," said the Sullivan family in a statement. They asked for continued privacy as the parents undergo treatment for their injuries.
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