Crime & Safety
Patchogue Woman Drowns in Boating Accident off Old Field Beach
Bay constable and fire department tried to revive 71-year-old Georgia Johnson.
A Patchogue woman drowned after a 21-foot runabout boat she was fishing on with her daughter and one other person capsized just before 10 a.m. Wednesday near the Old Field Point lighthouse.
Police reported that Georgia Johnson, 71, couldn’t swim and was not wearing a life jacket. She attempted to stay above water by floating on a seat cushion. Johnson and two other passengers were picked up by people on another boat and brought to shore at Old Field Beach where the bay constable began to administer CPR.
The fire department took over when they came on the scene but they could not resuscitate her. Johnson was taken by Port Jefferson Volunteer Ambulance to where she was pronounced dead.
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The two other boat occupants were also treated at St. Charles Hospital and released, according to a police report.
According to the emergency worker on the scene the other two occupants were hysterical but physically fine when they were rescued.
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The water conditions at the time of the accident are unknown at this time as is the official cause of the accident. The emergency worker said that the boat may have hit a rock or a "nasty drop" causing the boat to overturn. The accident victims ended up in the water close to shore.
Patch will update this story as more information becomes available.
