Authorities Still Searching for 2 People Missing After Labor Day Boat Crash in Connecticut

September 3 (UPI) — According to multiple reports, one man was killed, two people were missing and six were injured following a tragic Labor Day boating excursion in Connecticut.

“We always hope for the best,” Capt. Keith Williams of the Connecticut Environmental Conservation Police said at a news conference Tuesday morning.

The identities of the victims or other details about the cause of Monday night’s incident have not yet been released because the investigation is ongoing, officials said. The search was called off late Monday night but resumed Tuesday.

“From what we see from the evidence, in the early stages, you know, we’re hoping for the best, but at this point, it’s most likely going to be a recovery,” Williams said.

Six people were taken to hospital Monday night. Williams said early evidence indicated “it’s most likely going to be a recovery attempt.”

Nine passengers were aboard the 31-foot vessel returning from Block Island when it struck a breakwater at about 9 p.m. ET at the mouth of the Connecticut River near the Harbor One marina in Old Saybrook, authorities said.

Local police responded around 9:15 p.m. and found the boat floating half-submerged in the water, a spokesman for the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection told CNN. It was pulled from the water Tuesday morning.

Williams said the pier was well marked and weather conditions Monday evening were “normal,” he added. The tide was high and there was a light wind at the time of the accident.

But while the breakwaters are visible, “at night it’s a completely different story,” Williams said.

Officials say the overnight collision caused “significant” damage to the boat, officials said. The boat’s driver was last known to be in critical condition, and one other passenger was discharged.

“Given the extensive damage, I would say the ship was moving quite a bit,” Williams said, adding that assessing the damage would help with accident reconstruction.

A man’s body was found inside the boat. The two missing people were reportedly not wearing life jackets.

“It’s just essential, especially at night when you’re coming back and you’re on Long Island Sound, to know where your markers are, to know how to get to where the channels are,” Williams said. “That’s key to a safe trip and a safe return.”