Navy Resumes PR Mission After Del. River Rescues

by KYW's Kim Glovas

A special boat team from the US Navy was coincidentally at Penn's Landing Wednesday when the Duck Boat accident happened.  That crew sprang into action to render aid to those in the water.

Today, those same sailors were giving free rides to the public on the same vessel they used to assist with the rescues.

The sailors aboard the Mark V special operations craft are called "SWCCs" -- Special Warfare Combatant Crewmen.

Senior chief Charles Weaver says that when they heard the distress call for the accident (see previous story), they knew they were needed:

"I ran over, saw victims in the water, came back, politely explained to my people that they needed to get moving quickly."

Special Boatman 2 Alex Kennedy was on the Mark V as the rescue operation began:

"Everything basically just shut off, adrenalin kicked in, and it was just us trying to get everyone out of the water as quickly as possible."

Although two people remain missing, Weaver says seeing Philadelphia's first responders and even casual bystanders stop their lives and help total strangers was refreshing. And that's what he will remember.

(Photo by KYW's Kim Glovas)