Married couple killed in Great South Bay boat crash, Suffolk County police say
BAY SHORE, N.Y. -- A Long Island couple was killed Sunday night in a boat crash off of Fire Island.
On Monday, Suffolk County police said there was no criminality involved, calling it a tragic accident caused by an unexpected turn by one of the boats.
The crash involved two pleasure crafts out for the holiday weekend.
There were calm waters and sunny skies on Labor Day, yet a cloud hung over the Great South Bay. At around 10:40 p.m. on Sunday, there were 911 calls summoning multiple fire departments to the waters a quarter mile off Ocean Bay Park for reports of two boats colliding.
"Another call came in that there was a boat overturned with no one in the water, so we assumed somebody was trapped in the boat," Bay Shore Fire Department Chief Roy Ekelund Jr. said.
Emergency crews found a 44-foot private fishing boat -- its passengers uninjured -- that had collided with a smaller pleasure boat, which was capsized in shallow waters. Rescue divers searched for survivors.
"The second diver was able to locate the female victim underneath the boat in the cabin. It is terrible. Middle of the night," Ekelund said.
The body of Louis Deritis was found in the water after daybreak. Police said Deritis, 53, and his wife, Renee Deritis, 50, had been traveling from Kismet toward their home in Oakdale.
The operator of the larger boat, Ferdinand Caravousanos, of West Babylon shared just one word: "Tragic."
Police said no drugs, alcohol or criminality is suspected, adding for unknown reasons, the smaller boat crossed in the path of the larger fishing boat.
"The smaller vessel, where the victims were headed eastbound initially and for an unexplained reason abruptly turned in a northerly direction in front of the larger boat," Suffolk County Police Deputy Chief William Scrima said. "The larger vessel pulled the throttle back, but the momentum caused the collision."
Neighbors woke up to the devastating news. They called the Deritises a great family, saying the couple often treated residents on their waterfront block to July 4 parties and Christmas gifts.
"It's a tragic accident and our condolences go out to the family members," Scrima said.
Police have not determined why their path abruptly changed, resulting in tragic consequences on one of the busiest boating weekends of the year.
Police said both boats had lights on at the time of the crash. None of the four passengers on the fishing boat were injured.