Duck boat rescues baby boy who fell into Charles River, dad who jumped in after him

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — A Boston Duck Tours boat rescued a baby boy who fell into the Charles River in Cambridge and his father who jumped into the water to save him on Monday morning, officials said.

Troopers responding to a report of a child under the age of 2 in the river near the rear of Royal Sonesta Hotel around 9:30 a.m. learned the boy had fallen into the water after squeezing through a railing, according to Massachusetts State Police.

The boy’s father subsequently jumped into the river and secured him. They were then taken aboard a passing Duck Boat in the area of 40 Land Boulevard and dropped off at a nearby dock.

Mike Rosario, one of two Duck Tour operators on the boat, is credited with rescuing the baby and his father. Rosario and Kevin O’Neill were on a training run when they spotted the two in the water.

“Like if a child decides to lean over and God forbid they fall in, we have to jump into action right away,” said Rosario, who is known to patrons as Big Mike. “So we train for this all the time.”

Because it was a training run, only the two were aboard the Olga Ironsides for the safety drill. And then, suddenly, it wasn’t a drill at all.

“I was doing my loop and when I turned back around Kevin noticed a group of people waving to us,” Rosario said. “And then he noticed a man in the water and that’s when we realized somebody fell in.”

Rosario said the Dad was clinging to both the retaining wall and the child.

“So there’s like little slots in the rocks,” said Rosario. “So Dad was holding on there while he was holding the child.”

Duck boat rescue protocol actually calls for the vessel to initially move away from the person in the water, so as not to hurt them. Then a life-preserver ring is tossed over to help keep the person afloat. Finally, the duck boat is maneuvered into place to effect the rescue.

O’Neill manned the back of the duck boat, as Rosario gently backed it into a position a safe distance away from the Dad and son. Once in place, O’Neill lowered the ladder.

“And then I just walked down a few steps into the water,” he said -- close enough to take the baby from his Dad’s arm and bring him aboard.

“I was thinking, just hold on to this kid and totally concentrate on just getting him up on the duck boat safe,” O’Neill said. “And I was also saying, you’re okay, you’re okay. I don’t have any kids of my own and I’m not very good with babies, but because of the adrenaline I wasn’t thinking about any of that.”

The boy and his father were evaluated by EMS on shore after being pulled from the water. The boy was then taken to a local hospital as a precaution.

“He just said thank you, thank you so much,” O’Neill said. “And he was effusively thankful. We just said, of course. We’re so glad that you guys are okay.”

Video from the scene showed an Orange Duck Boat near a dock, as well as a state police cruiser and ambulances parked along the shore.

“So I looked over with my camera and I was able to zoom in and see there was actually a child in the water, a baby,” Demasi said. “And the father jumped in right afterwards.”

Photos shared with Boston 25 News showed first responders lowering a life preserver ring down to the father and his child.

A witness who didn’t want to appear on camera told Boston 25 News that the baby was likely between 11 and 15 months of age.

Local photographer Dominic Demasi said he heard screaming followed by people rushing over.

“Initially I thought it was a dog. I took my camera, I looked closer, and there happened to be a baby in the water, actually. The father jumped right in. He was swimming with the baby for five or 10 minutes. They then called a Duck Boat over,” Demasi recalled. “Everything happened so quickly. Everyone seemed to be safe, but it was scary.”

Demasi added that it was fortunate the water wasn’t cold when the baby plunged into the river.

“They come out of the Charles right here and they do their tours. So, they just happened to be in the area at the right time I guess. Right place, right time,” Demasi said. “It definitely scared me. I could hear them screaming...It’s good it wasn’t a long time. It wasn’t cold out.”

Both the child and father are okay, according to a Cambridge Fire Department spokesperson. Just a bit shaken up.

As for Rosario and O’Neill, by afternoon they were back aboard the Olga Ironsides, a full contingent of passengers in back after a day they won’t soon forget.

“Both are valued employees, even before this rescue,” said Cindy Brown, Boston Duck Tours CEO. “Mike and Kevin have been outstanding team members at Boston Duck Tours for many years. I’m thankful that the training they have received, along with very lucky timing, put them in a position to help save this father and child. I could not be prouder of their quick thinking and smart actions.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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