Posted on 03/06/2004 4:09:36 PM PST by cardinal4
Saturday, March 06, 2004 WBAL Radio and The Associated Press
Rescue crews continue to search for passengers after a water taxi capsized near Fort McHenry.
Baltimore City Fire Department spokesman Kevin Cartwright says 18 people have been rescued, while at least six remained missing.
Cartwright said that six people were sent to local hospitals. He said one child and one adult were in cardiac arrest.
"Their hearts are not pumping, nor is there any respiration," Cartwright said. "We have not pronounced them dead yet."
Empty lifevests could be seen floating in the water. The water temperature in the area is likely in the 40s, according to WBAL meteorologist John Collins.
The fire department received the call around 4 p.m., shortly after a strong but quick thunderstorm rolled through the Inner Harbor area.
"Possibly the strong storm that came through caused it to take place," Cartwright said.
Divers were in the water searching for passengers, while police helicopters equipped with thermal-imaging devices hovered above.
The Inner Harbor is one of the nation's oldest seaports and draws millions of tourists every year. Water taxis ferry thousands of visitors to the many points on the harbor.
When the wind and tide is just right, even the fringes of the Chesapeake Bay can be deadly.
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