Oneida Lake, V/Sylvan Beach- On 11/22/2025 at about 2:00pm…

Oneida Lake, V/Sylvan Beach- On 11/22/2025 at about 2:00pm; the Oneida County Sheriff's Office Marine Patrol Unit investigated a property damage boat accident on Oneida Lake after a water rescue was successfully conducted by the Sylvan Beach Volunteer Fire Department. Bradley T. Dougherty, age 50, of Rome, NY, was operating an 18ft, 2008 Stingray open-bow boat in a south easterly direction on Oneida Lake near the end of the breakwater at Buoy-106.

As he was navigating back into the Erie Canal he struck submerged rocks and became disabled. The hazardous water conditions, 2-4ft waves, caused his boat to take waves over the bow and stern as the high winds (12-20mph) pushed him onto the rocky breakwater, where he became hard-ground, between Buoy-104 and the eastern shoreline of Oneida Lake. After the Sylvan FD removed Dougherty from the grounded vessel, he was transported to the Emergency Wall on the Erie Canal in Sylvan Beach where he was evaluated by Vineall Ambulance and signed off on any further medical treatment.

The grounded vessel will be removed when sea state allows by Triple T Towing and Underwater Recovery, on 11/23/2025.