Police identify Bellport man killed in boat explosion on Fire Island
One boater was killed and another was injured early Thursday when their vessel hit a sandbar in the Great South Bay and crashed into the deck of a home on West Fire Island, authorities said. Credit: James Carbone
Police have identified a Bellport man killed when the boat he was on crashed into the deck of a house on West Fire Island Thursday.
Phillip Sanzano, 47, was killed while aboard a boat with another man Thursday on a predawn fishing trip when the boat hit a sandbar, went airborne, and struck the deck, Suffolk County police said.
Sanzano was an NYPD officer, the department confirmed Friday. Records show he has served for 15 years with the NYPD, most recently in the department’s intelligence division since May.
Records show he also previously worked at the World Trade Center Command and the 83rd Precinct in Bushwick. NYPD records show he had 71 career arrests and was honored in February 2014 for excellent police duty.
Sanzano’s family declined to comment when reached Friday.
Suffolk County police said Sanzano was on a 30-foot Wellcraft center console boat on the Great South Bay, when the boat hit the deck early Thursday. Sanzano was declared dead at the scene. Emergency officials said he suffered “multiple trauma” in the crash,
Another man on the boat, Christopher Cannella, 47, of West Babylon was knocked unconscious for about two hours but woke up and was able to locate a phone to call 911 about 7:35 a.m. to report the crash.
Firefighters rescued Cannella and his two dogs from the boat on the northwest corner of West Fire Island. The boat had overturned a part of the island, north of Saltaire, with no lights or electricity, officials said.
Cannella was taken to South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore where he was treated for his injuries. He could not be reached Friday.
Authorities did not say who was driving, but police said Cannella is the registered owner of the boat.
The cause of the crash is under investigation but authorities said they did not expect any criminality.
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
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