A 7-year-old swept into the Atlantic Ocean at Acadia National Park on Sunday by Hurricane Bill's waves was pronounced dead after being pulled from the cold waters, while 13 others also hit by the massive wave were injured with a variety of broken bones and bruises.
The unidentified girl was among three park visitors washed into the ocean. There were reports that two others also were missing in the ocean, but Acadia Chief Ranger Stuart West couldn't confirm them.
“We don’t know. We received a report that as many as five people were washed into the ocean, we can only confirm that three were," Ranger West said.
The prospect of watching high seas smash into the coast of Maine brought thousands to the park Sunday. An estimated 10,000 visitors were gathered along the park shoreline near the popular Thunder Hole, a crack in the park's granite foundation that features spectacular wave explosions during high seas, around noon when one of the waves washed over those gathered to watch.
“We’ve had seas the result of Hurricane Bill between 12 and 15 feet. That's a big attraction to everyone in the area, seeing the waves crashing into shore," said the chief ranger. “At the same time we had those folks washed into the ocean, we had 11 other injuries. A dislocated shoulder, a broken leg, broken ankle and a broken wrist, I believe.”
The incident spurred an air, land, and sea search for the missing. While park rangers searched the shoreline for the 7-year-old and any others who might have been knocked into the ocean, the Coast Guard had a 47-foot cruiser searching the waters, while overhead a helicopter and Falcon jet were also searching, Ranger West said. The Maine Marine Patrol also had a boat participating in the search.
Soon after the visitors were swept into the ocean, Coast Guard rescuers were able to pull a 12-year-old girl and the father of the 7-year-old to safety about 150 yards from shore, he said. There were unconfirmed reports that the man had jumped into the ocean in a bid to save his daughter, said the ranger. The two were taken to a Bangor, Maine, hospital and reportedly were doing OK, said Ranger West.
Sometime later the Coast Guard searchers spotted the young girl.
Immediately after the incident park authorities closed Ocean Drive to the public. Rangers then began the task of trying to determine whether there were any vehicles whose owners were missing.
"We’re trying to do what we can to determine if those two other phantom folks actually fell in the water or not," he said. "We're trying to do a count of the vehicles to see if there’s an unaccounted owner or owners to determine if someone is missing."
While the day had dawned cloudy at Acadia, by afternoon it was mostly sunny with temperatures approaching 80 degrees. The ocean temperature, though, was a brisk 55 degrees, according to the chief ranger.
Comments
I have to agree, the park is accountable here. Parents who visit here from out of state have "no" idea what kind of danger might be in store for them. It is the responsibility of the "Park" to inform people, close Thunder hole, and protect those who are ignorant of the risk ! The park was negligent ... and I've been there many times.
Awesome comments! I totally agree with what you said and you said it well.
I don't want the government getting gun-shy and closing everything down on the possibility that someone might get hurt every time there's rough weather. I really believe in personal responsibility as well. I feel so, so bad for that family though.
This is an answer to Mick's question: "do you really want to blame a seven year old for "stupidity and bad judgment"?
No Mick, her father is to blame and her father will bear the heavy burden of his misjudgment for the rest of his life. Long after you and I have stopped thinking about this story he will be left to his own thoughts and heartaches about the daughter that HE lost. The bereaved father can be forgiven and even forgive himself, but he will always remember.
I have been going to Acadia for 25 years with my 5 sons and I was always, even after they were in their late teens, concerned about their safety. I hope her death will help others to be more cautious in the future.
The park staff does not exist to babysit and handhold each visitor that comes to visit. Everyone needs to take personal accountability for their own actions (and in this case, accountability for their children’s actions). I would wish this tragedy on nobody. However I cannot stand the mentality of people transferring blame because of their own stupid, ignorant actions. If you ignore warning signs, and repeated requests from Rangers (according to several first-hand posts above) to back away from the surf, how is the Park Service responsible for a rogue wave? Is the Coast Guard responsible for not anticipating and tracking this wave? Is the National Weather Service responsible for not warning the park while tracking the hurricane?
Maybe at every entrance to a park we should post a sign that says 'If you are going to act dumb.....you better be tough' - take responsibility for your own actions.
Well my family and I were at the Acadia Park that day.First we decided to go to Sand Beach and like everyone we walked along the beach.I told my husband that I thought that water was powerful and it scared me.So we continued on our walk on the beach.My 8 year daughter and I removed our sandals and decided to go further away from the crowd.We were very far from the water and out of nowhere a wave came all the way to where we were and threw me down...I was holding on to my daughter for dear life!I told my husband I had seen enough so we continued on our journey.We went all around the rocks and watched the water hit...mind you we stopped alot.I took so many pictures.We stopped where the tragedy happened and took pictures and a Ranger told us not to go close that it was dangerous,I agreed and backed off.I couldn't help but notice all the people on the rocks taking pictures and just standind there.I then advised my husband that I wanted to leave because all this scared me.I told him someone was definetly gonna get hurt today.My 6th sense was kicking in for sure!I had parked our car on the side of the road so we proceeded to get in ,camera in one hand.I sat down in the car and all of a sudden out of nowhere this big wave splashed and I couldn't help but see a lady walking in the path getting drenched!We looked to see for the people sitting on the rocks and left!I took pictures and when I checked the following day the time on my picture was 11:51a.m.I am sooooooooo glad I didn't witness it!I will stay clear of the ocean from now on....I have learned to never and I mean never under estimate the power and force of mother nature.Being a mom of an 8 year old.I cannot express what I feel for those parents.God had a plan!
I was one of the persons swepted over by the wave sunday the 23rd and sustained a broken left leg and right hand and felt very lucky. I must correct some of the comments. I was w a small group far far from Thunder Hole., maybe a mile or 1 1/2 miles. I entered the Park from Otter Cliff Road where we started our walk down the shore line path. There were no warnings posted and none expressed by a ranger that i passed on the shore line path. The "wave " came up as i stood a good 65 yards from the cliff edge. Before this "wave" the prior waves were not theatning or crashing near our feet but at the rocks edge. With a sunny day and no comments from the Ranger i thougth i was at a safe distance. Most of the visitors are not from Maine and do not know the dangers of a rocky coastline w high surf waves.
Here on the Gulf Coast-- the beaches and roads are closed when there is a tropical storm or hurricane is offshore .
My thoughts and prayers are w the little girl's family
Yes I do have to say you are right...because I was there that day and like I said in the story above."I was walking on the beach with my family and out of no where this BIG WAVE came I fell down and held on to my kid for dear life!It spooked me so much that I was a little iffy stopping at certain parts of the parks.There were people sitting on rocks taking pictures and I was like what in the heck are they thinking.The ranger did tell us not to go close but we were not half as close as the ones sitting on the rocks.I think that I have stayed scarred for life!I am glad you are ok and my heart does go out to the family that has lost their child.....Being a mom of an 8 year old daughter I cannot even imagine!They would still be plucking me off the rocks...OUFF!!!!I am sure you are feeling blessed ecspecially when you think what could have happened...Take Care.
I just came back from Thunder Hole and was wandering where the 7yr old girl and father were standing when they were hit by the wave. Does anyone know ?
We were on the walkway and I felt such a sadness and ery feeling there, and with that just happening There was a family sitting on a rock with the waves splashing on it, to the left and out further than the
beginning of the walkway.