One of the boating victims is comforted by officials at the scene. (StringerNews.com)
Officials at the scene last night. (StringerNews.com)
The powerboat that flipped over Wednesday night in Long Island Sound — killing three kids aboard — was carrying nearly double its maximum number of passengers, cops told The Post today.
And police are eyeing the possibility that the serious overcrowding of the 34-foot Silverton yacht out of Suffolk County was among the reasons it capsized with 27 people aboard, sources said.
The Silverton, owned by Kevin Treanor has a maximum capacity of just 15 people — 12 less than were aboard it when it departed the Harbor Boating Club in Huntington, said a Nassau County Police spokeswoman.
Online advertisements for vessels of the same make and model also state it has a 15-person capacity.
“As of now, there is no criminal charges but the investigation is ongoing,” said Police Officer Maureen Roach, a spokesman with the Nassau County PD, which is handling the probe.
“We are currently researching the cause for this boat to sink,” said Nassau County police Detective Lt. John Azzata.
“We’re looking at several avenues, one of which would be overcrowding on the boat. There were 27 people on this boat, that’s a combination of adults and children.”
“All three victims – David Aurelino 12, Kevin Treanor’s daughter Harley, 11, and Victoria Gaines, 8 — were found in the vessel’s cabin, authorities said.
The Suffolk County children are not siblings but they’re all related, according to law enforcement sources.
“The family is devastated,” said a woman at the home of the Candi Treanor, who is the aunt to Harley.
At Victoria’s house, a man told a reporter, “Listen, we’re hurting, we’re angry, we’ve got nothing to say.”
The two men operating the boat — Kevin Treanor and Sal Aurelino — were not drunk or otherwise impaired, authorities said. The men are brothers-in-law.
Sal Aurelino told News 12 today, “We were coming home when a wave got us, and it turned the boat around.”
Asked if was a rogue wake, Aurelino replied, “Yeah, it was dark. It was off to the side. I didn’t see it. It just happened.”
He said he first had seen “two lightening bolts” in the sky.
“I told my nephew who was in the front. Next thing I know everybody was in the water,” Aurelino said.
The 34-foot Silverton began sinking when it was in just 21 feet of water, officials said. By the time the vessel sank, it was seven-tenths of a mile out and in waters 60 feet deep.
The craft flipped over at about 10:10 p.m. in Oyster Bay, dumping its passengers into the water.
Nassau police Inspector Kenneth Lack said the operation took a long time because “at night in an area like this, it is very dangerous.
“It was a lot of people in the water,” Lack said. “Most people were taken aboard other crafts very quickly.”
A nearby boater, Sam Galasso, said the Silverton flipped over after making a sharp turn.
“A friend of mine was in my boat and shined a spotlight on them because their boat was getting close to us,” Galasso said. “Then we saw them take a sharp left and it flipped.
StringerNews.comOne of the boating victims is comforted by officials at the scene.
“My friend screamed, ‘You’ve got to help these people.’ And I turned my boat and went toward them. Everyone in my boat did everything to get people out of the water.”
The vessel went down shortly after a nearby fireworks show ended, witnesses said.
Investigators also are looking at a possible quick shift in weather and the wake caused by several boats leaving the area at the same time, according to Lack.
The National Weather Service said a thunderstorm moved through the area of the boat accident at around 10:30 p.m., and winds never exceeded 10 mph.
Galasso’s nephew, Frankie Barbone, 15, said he recalled the weather being a non-factor when the accident happened.
“The weather was fine, and then all of a sudden it changed within minutes,” he said. “It was hailing at one point, it started raining. There were a lot of waves. Then we both looked over and saw them hit the water.’’
Galasso recalled the terrifying screams for help.
StringerNews.comOfficials at the scene last night.
“It was complete mayhem,’’ Galasso added. “People started screaming.’’
Parents frantically swam around searching for their kids, some of whom were having trouble staying above the waves, Galasso said. None of the passengers was wearing a life jacket, added Barbone.
“We pulled 16 or 17 people out,’’ Barbone said. “As it was sinking, the captain was standing on top, waving his hands. We threw out everything [life jackets and life preservers] we had to them.”
REGULATIONS FOR PRIVATE BOATS
– Boats are required to have life jacket for everyone on board
– No requirement for anyone over the age of 12 to wear a life jacket outside of the cabin
– Passengers under the age of 12 must wear a life jacket if outside the boat’s cabin. They are not required to wear a life jacket if they are inside the cabin.
Additional reporting by Erin Calabrese and Pedro Oliveira Jr.