1 dead, 2 missing in 'major' boating accident off Connecticut coast

One person is dead and two are missing -- with several others injured -- in a Labor Day boating accident in Connecticut, officials said.

Nine people were on the 31-foot motorboat at the time of the accident, which took place on the Connecticut River at about 9 p.m. near Harbor One Marina in Old Saybrook, according to the Connecticut Environmental Conservation Police. The boat hit a jetty at the mouth of the Connecticut River, causing "significant" damage to the boat, officials said.

A man was recovered dead, and six people were taken to the hospital for treatment Monday night, police said. A search for the two missing people stopped around 1 a.m. and restarted Tuesday morning.

"We always hope for the best," Capt. Keith Williams, with the Connecticut Environmental Conservation Police, said at a press conference Tuesday morning. "From what we're seeing from evidence, early stages ... it's most likely going to be a recovery."

The driver of the boat is in critical condition, according to Williams. One person has been released from the hospital, Williams said, but he was not sure about the conditions of the others who were hospitalized.

The man who was found dead was located inside the boat, he added.

The boat was returning from a trip to Block Island. It remained submerged on Tuesday morning.

The North Madison Volunteer Fire Department said the missing people do not have life jackets and that multiple personnel and ambulances from the towns surrounding Old Saybrook are assisting with the operation.

A mass casualty incident was declared for what was termed a "major marine incident" on Monday night.

"A mass casualty incident describes an incident in which emergency medical services resources, such as personnel and equipment, are overwhelmed by the number and severity of casualties," the North Madison Volunteer Fire Department said in a follow-up statement describing the operation.

No other details about the cause of the accident or the identities of the victims have been released. Williams said the investigation was still in its early stages, but he was not aware of any weather problems and said the jetty is well-marked.