Selectmen laud Wareham Police officers for ‘heroic’ water rescue

Oct 16, 2018

Three Wareham Police officers involved in what authorities hailed as a “miraculous” water rescue were recognized by Selectmen on Tuesday.

Officer James White, Lt. Walter Correria and Lt. John Gerard received a commendation from board members for being part of the rescue effort that successfully pulled five people from Buzzards Bay on the night of Oct. 8 after a boat struck a buoy. Two were saved by White, who donned a life jacket and swam out to them with a throw ring about 50 yards from the dike.

Three others were found clinging to a buoy and were pulled onto a Wareham Department of Natural Resources boat by Harbormaster Garry Buckminster and Lt. Justin Harrington of the Onset Fire Department.

A bystander heard cries for help and called police after the crash. White was one of the first ones on the scene and entered the water near Stony Point Dike.

“This was like something you’d see on T.V.,” said Selectman Patrick Tropeano. “Every day these guys put their lives on the line.”

Tropeano went on to say the actions of all involved that night were heroic and brave.

The crash remains under investigation by the Massachusetts Environmental Police.