MONCKS CORNER, South Carolina — A Berkeley County Marine Patrol deputy entered storm-driven water to reach a young child and two adults after their boat struck rocks and capsized Saturday afternoon, according to the sheriff’s office.
The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office said every person involved made it safely out of the water. The agency’s official 11-minute video shows the rough conditions, Marine 6 moving near the rocky dike and deputies bringing the three people aboard. The agency video contains no sound.
A storm changes conditions within minutes
The sheriff’s office said the storm developed at about 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 22, bringing extremely high winds and dangerous conditions on the water. Marine Patrol deputies were then alerted that a small vessel had hit the rocks and capsized.
Several people went into the water, including a young child. Two people from the vessel were able to climb onto the rocks and reach the top of the dike, while two adults and the child still needed help.
BCSO Marine 6, a SAFE Boat operating nearby, responded immediately, the agency said. Its official footage documents limited visibility, wind-driven rain and the difficult approach toward the rocks.
One deputy enters the water
During the rescue, one deputy entered the water and reached the child and two adults. Deputies aboard Marine 6 lowered the vessel’s bow stairway so the boat could gain closer access and help the deputy bring all three people aboard.
The boat crew also had to maneuver near the rocks in hazardous weather. The sheriff’s office credited the Marine Patrol team’s coordination, bravery and skill for completing the rescue safely under rapidly changing conditions.
ThinBlueNews is not identifying the rescued child or adults. Their names were not included in the agency release, and the public value of the story is in the documented response rather than the identities of people caught in a dangerous emergency.
Evaluation and follow-up at the landing
Berkeley County EMS met the group at Adkins’ Boat Landing, where the people involved were evaluated after the rescue. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources also responded to investigate the boating incident, according to the sheriff’s office.
Live 5 News and WCIV independently reported the agency’s account on Aug. 24. Neither report identified the rescued people or reported a more serious medical outcome.
The rescue illustrates why specialized civilian law-enforcement units matter. A marine patrol boat, crew training and the willingness of a deputy to enter dangerous water turned a capsized-vessel call into a coordinated recovery of three people who could not reach safety on their own.
Readers can find more verified acts of service in our police hero stories, police rescue news and positive police news sections.
Sources and visual disclosure
- Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office — official Aug. 24 release and rescue video.
- Live 5 News — Aug. 24 local report.
- WCIV — Aug. 24 local report.
Visual note: the featured image is one frame at 00:45 from the official Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office video. It shows Marine 6, rough water and the rocky dike before any rescued person is visible. ThinBlueNews uses the frame for this website report only under a documented case-by-case editorial fair-use review. It is not licensed for social reupload, advertising or reuse in another story. The full official video remains embedded and linked above.
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