Boater in distress off Nahant dies

NAHANT – A day of fishing turned tragic Thursday when an Everett man collapsed on his boat and was later pronounced dead.Minh Duc Voong, 55, of Cross Street, Everett, was pronounced dead at Union Hospital in Lynn after State Police, the Coast Guard and Nahant police and firefighters rallied to rescue him.According to Steve O’Connell, spokesman for Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett, a kayaker on the water at about 12:30 p.m. spotted a 17-foot center console Aquasport that appeared to be unoccupied but filled with fish and still in gear offshore on the north side of Nahant.O’Connell said about the same time police received several calls that a boat had been drifting aimlessly before running aground. Coast Guard Petty Officer Myeonghi Clegg said the boat was drifting between Egg Rock and Short Beach.State Police Air Wing spotted the boat about 100 yards offshore, O’Connell said. Clegg said the Coast Guard launched a response boat from Point Allerton and a helicopter from Air Station Cape Cod.Voong was brought to shore at the Coast Guard Station on Nahant Road and from there he was transported to Union Hospital where he was pronounced dead, O’Connell said.”There doesn’t appear to be any foul play,” he added. “The medical examiner will conduct an autopsy, but there is no sign of suspicious activity.”Nahant Police Lt. Thomas Hutton called the incident sad.”Everyone rolled together – police, fire, State Police, Coast Guard. Everything went perfect, just not the outcome,” he said. “It’s very sad.”Ben Guilfoy contributed to this story.