Kiteboarder In Coma After Being Found Unresponsive In Harbor

An island resident remains in a coma after he was discovered unresponsive in the waters of Nantucket Harbor just off the town pier on Monday and was rushed to Nantucket Cottage Hospital by ambulance after being rescued from the water by the Nantucket Moorings crew.

Friends of the man identified him as Farruh Nunuzov, a 20-year resident of Nantucket, and said he had been kiteboarding in the harbor at the time of the incident. Nunuzov, a 48-year-old carpenter, was transported off-island by MedFlight helicopter and is being treated at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, according to a GoFundMe launched by his friends and family.

"Farruh Nunuzov has been a cherished member of the Nantucket island community for over two decades," his friends wrote. "Known for his adventurous spirit, filmmaking talent, and deep friendships across the USA, Farruh has always brought joy and inspiration to those around him. He is a devoted father of two young children and a loving husband, admired for his kindness and generosity."

The incident prompted a large public safety response to the town pier, including Nantucket Police, Nantucket Fire Department EMTs, the Harbormaster, and Massachusetts Environmental Police.

The people who discovered the man in the water were Carl Bendiksen, Ethan McMorrow, and off-duty firefighter Ray DeCosta, according to fire chief Michael Cranson. Nantucket Moorings' Tim Reinemo and Lloyd Brown arrived at the dock on a second boat to assist them. The group immediately provided CPR to the man while awaiting first responders.

“We received a report of an unresponsive male who had been pulled from the water in the area of the Town Pier,” Fire Chief Michael Cranson told the Current. “(The) Person was picked up by a crew on a boat who saw him in the water. The crew called 911 and immediately started CPR. Fire Department personnel, police officers and the harbormaster staff all arrived at the dock and assisted with transferring the patient over to the fire department. The patient was transported to Nantucket Cottage Hospital and their condition is not known at this time.”