Over two dozen high schoolers had to be rescued after two boats capsized on Long Island Sound in Westport Wednesday evening.
The Coast Guard said 27 high schoolers and two coaches were on board recreational rowing boats when they capsized after a sudden change in the weather.
Two people were taken to the hospital with hypothermia and everyone else was rescued, police said.
Police Chief Foti Koskinas said three rowing sculls and a chase boat launched from the Saugatuck Rowing Club near Compo Beach around 5 p.m. Each scull carried nine rowers between the ages of 14 to 18.
When the boats reached Cockenoe Island, the weather quickly changed, causing the rowers to turn back and head to shore. That's when 18 high schoolers were thrown into the water.
Four or five of the rowers swam to shore, and the others were brought back by emergency crews, according to police.
"Things could have gone very differently tonight, and they didn't because we have an excellent police department, fire department and EMS department here in Westport," First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker said.
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The temperature was 40 degrees and the water temp was 44 degrees, police said. The entire operation to get everyone out of the water took about 50 minutes.
One rower described the terrifying moments as he and others clung to a boat.
"It's just really cold. Yeah, I, I really couldn't talk," Davis Evans, of Westport, said. "I did a good job of keeping my cool, but it was really scary. I'm still kind of shaken up. It hasn't really sunk in yet."
Evans said the group from the Saugatuck Rowing Club had been taking part in their usual practice, but the calm waters quickly changed.
"It got windy and the waves are just crashing into our boat, and it was just filling up with water. It was really scary," Evans said.
The Westport Board of Education arranged for a bus to come to the rowing club to put the high schoolers on so they could warm up.
Police said a mass casualty incident was called and several area hospitals were told to be on alert. Koskinas described the scene as managed, but chaotic.
"As a mother of three athletes, I can't imagine the range of emotions these athletes and their families are feeling," Tooker said.
The first selectwoman went on to say that she hopes all of the families, kids and athletes are reunited and feeling safe and taken care of.
Koskinas said the police department plans to check routine procedures for the private rowing club. He said he wants to ensure an incident like this doesn't happen again.
"This was truly a team effort," Koskinas said. "This was a very serious incident with an incredibly good outcome, which we are very fortunate. And the families are fortunate."
Several emergency agencies responded to the scene to assist with the rescue, including the U.S. Coast Guard.
NBC Connecticut has reached out to the rowing club for a comment but has not yet heard back.
