Ted Kennedy attempts water rescue

U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy tried to save six fishermen stranded on a breakwater near the Kennedy compound yesterday, but had to turn back and hand the rescue off to the fire department.

Kennedy called the Hyannis Fire Department around 11 a.m. when he saw the fishermen on the breakwater as waves up to 5 feet high crashed over it and winds gusted to 35 mph. The 69-year-old senator took out his whaler and got within earshot of the fishermen, but headed back because it was too dangerous, Hyannis Fire Capt. Craig Farrenkopf said.

Farrenkopf said Kennedy is familiar with the water and “thought he would do the right thing.”

It appears that unlike Ted’s last brush with this sort of thing–the Chappaquiddick incident–Kennedy called for help before calling his own attorney or retiring to his hotel for a good night’s sleep. Who says you can’t teach an old dog?

In an unrelated story William Kennedy Smith saves woman from sexual predator.

Can you think of another celebrity water rescue?

hat tip: Patterico

Additional made up Kennedy quotation: “We’ll drive off that bridge when we get to it.”

technorati: ted kennedy

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 19th, 2005 at 8:37 am by Insider and is filed under Nemesises ... Nemesi?. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.