NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — DEEP confirms that one of the two boaters rescued near the New Haven Harbor by the United States Coast Guard Saturday night has died.

At approximately 10:30 on Saturday July 29th, DEEP, State Environmental Conservation (EnCon) Police, New Haven Fire Department and the US Coast Guard responded to a report of a boating accident in Long Island Sound. The distress call stated that the 22-foot boat had collided with a buoy. A 43 year old male from Milford was operating his 24’ Seaswirl vessel accompanied by a 47 year old male passenger from Guilford in New Haven Harbor and struck the buoy causing both to be ejected from the vessel. The passenger swam back to the vessel and radioed for help.

Officials say the boat crew arrived on scene and rescued the ejected boater from the water and transferred the other passenger from the distressed boat onto the their response boat. Both the operator and passenger were transported to Yale-New Haven Hospital, where the operator of the vessel was pronounced dead. State EnCon Police continue to investigate the accident.