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3 rescued from water after boat capsizes in Wareham

WAREHAM, Mass. — It was a challenging day on the water in Wareham on Sunday when three people had to be rescued after their boat capsized.

At around 3:00 p.m., US Coast Guard members received a distress call for an overturned vessel on Buzzard's Bay. Members of the Wareham Department of Natural Resources responded to the call.

Originally, the call had been reported as a mechanical issue, but upon arrival, officers saw the 18-20 foot boat had overturned.

The boat was on the western end of the Cape Cod canal, the same general area where a boat capsized last July, sending 11 people into the water - including an 8-year-old boy who later died.

The dense fog was a factor in the rescue, as crews struggled to find the boat.

"If you’re out in that body of water it’s so large you’re not exactly sure where it is until you’re out there," said Patrick Haskell, of the Wareham Fire Department. "The sea conditions were rough too, it was a challenging situation for us in general.”

All three passengers, who said they had been on a fishing trip, were pulled from the water and evaluated by Wareham EMS after showing signs of hypothermia.

"The water temperatures are cold, it's been a cold season," said Haskell.

The boat was towed to the Tempest Knob Boat Ramp for an investigation into what caused it to overturn. The incident is currently being investigated by the Massachusetts Environmental Police.

While the boat was being salvaged, another mayday call came in for a sailing vessel nearby. No one was injured and it was later determined the boat had an issue with it's engine.

By Sunday night, the three fishermen had been discharged from the hospital.

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