Officials: Vessels collide, send 3 into Peconic Bay

A 16-foot-fishing boat overturned, throwing three people into Peconic Bay Tuesday night after it was as struck by a larger vessel, officials said.

Emergency marine responders pulled the three people from the waters south of Robins Island shortly after 7 p.m., officials said. All three were taken by ambulance to Southampton Memorial Hospital for evaluation, but none appeared seriously injured, officials said.

John Andrejack, commanding officer of the Suffolk sheriff's marine patrol, said a sheriff's marine boat was on routine patrol in the area when it picked up the broadcasted distress call. The sheriff's boat, a Coast Guard vessel and a boat from the North Sea Fire Department all responded to the site within a few minutes, he said.

The small fishing boat was struck by a 32-foot Tiara motor boat, Andrejack said. No one on the larger boat was injured, he said.

The sheriff's office is conducting an investigation and the cause was undetermined Tuesday night, Andrejack said. A field sobriety test was carried out on the motor boat operator shortly after the collision, he said, and alcohol was ruled out as a factor in the accident.