Md. Boaters Thank First Responders After Life-Saving Mission

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Ten days after their boat sank and they were pulled from the waters of the Potomac, two Maryland fishermen got a chance to thank their rescuers in person.

Derek Valcourt reports for WJZ.

Fishing buddies Charlie Friend and Brad Stemcosky called for help on December 20 after being caught in bad weather.

"First of, you don't think it's going to happen to you and you can't believe how quickly it can happen," said Stemcosky.

The pair credits their survival to the quick response of rescuers and their own life jackets. And these two were the lucky ones.

In 2014, 12 people died in Maryland boating accidents. And that number went up to 21 this year.

2015 had the most Maryland waterway fatalities in the last 20 years.

Among the dead was 63-year-old Ronald Gressitt, who fell overboard and was never rescued.

Two women were killed in a late night accident near the Key Bridge.

And 7-year-old Julianne Rosela was hit and killed by a speed boat during a racing accident.

"This has been a particularly bad year on the waters in Maryland," said Lt. Ken Ziegler of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police Department.

Officials say that of the 21 people who died this year, 19 of them were not wearing life jackets.

And police say the two who were wearing them didn't have them on the correct way.

DNR police handed out more than 517 tickets to boaters who either weren't wearing life jackets or didn't have enough for all the people on board.

That number of tickets was significantly higher than last year's.

"You just don't have time to react to anything if it's not on you, you're not going to have it when you're in the water," said said Charlie Friend.

Officials believe the increase in fatalities and accidents on the water was mainly because there were more people out boating this year, thanks to lower gas prices and better weather.

There are about 180,000 registered boats in Maryland.