Boston Duck Boat Captains Rescue Toddler and Father from River: 'He Was in Such a Panic'
"He just wanted to get his child on board," Boston Duck Tour co-captain Michael Rosario said
Two local duck boat captains saved the day after a man and his young child fell into the Charles River in Boston.
On the morning of Monday Aug. 19, a father and child, who was described as being under the age of 2, were pulled from the river by Boston Duck Boats co-captains Michael Rosario and Kevin O'Neill, according to local ABC affiliate WCVB-TV.
Per the outlet, the Massachusetts State Police said their investigation indicated "the child squeezed through the railing," and that afterwards, "the child’s father jumped into the river" to get to his child.
Representatives from the Massachusetts State Police did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
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DUCK tour on the Charles River, Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge (Zakim Bridge) and Charles River, Boston, Massachusetts USAAs for what happened next, Rosario told WCVB that his co-captain threw out a life ring, and was able to get a ladder lowered down to him, but that the father still need some additional help.
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"He was in such a panic," Rosario said. "He just wanted to get his child on board. Kevin grabbed the baby and got the Mylar blanket for the child, and dad proceeded to get on."
Related: Father and Son Fishermen Rescue N.Y.C. Man Who Spent Night Treading Water Off N.J. Coastline
Per ABC News, at the time the pair entered the water, the Boston Duck Tours boat was conducting scheduled safety drills. “This is crazy. This is happening while we’re doing training. Now we’re doing real-life rescue,” Rosario told the outlet.
Director of marketing for Boston Duck Tours, Tom Vigna, expressed his happiness that the tour team was able to save the two. “We were happy to be in the right place at the right time,” he said, per the outlet.
Related: Illinois Police Rescue Trapped Family from Sinking Car – See Video
Following the rescue, the Cambridge Fire Department confirmed that the pair were evaluated by EMS, and the child was taken to a local hospital as a precaution, according to local affiliate NBC 10 Boston.
The incident is currently under investigation, authorities said.
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