Accidents of the Week - April 27, 2024
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Coast Guard Rescues 6 Boaters Off Texas Coast
4/14/24 - Houston, TX
The Coast Guard rescued six people from a vessel that was taking on water 7 miles offshore Freeport, Texas, on 14 April.
Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders received a report from bystanders on shore at 12:24 p.m. stating a 20-foot pleasure craft was taking on water with six people aboard. Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and launched a 45-foot Response Boat–Medium crew from Coast Guard Station Freeport to respond.
At 1:12 p.m., the RB–M crew arrived on scene, embarked the boaters, and safely transferred them to Bridge Bait.
Seven, Including Child, Rescued After Boat Capsizes
4/13/24 – Marin Co., CA
Six adults and a child were rescued on the afternoon of 13 April as they clung to an overturned boat in California’s Tomales Bay, Marin County, firefighters said.
Victims Suffered from Cold Exposure
Firefighters said they responded to a call from a boater whose craft had capsized about 3 p.m. All of the victims suffered from cold exposure and three were taken to a hospital with minor injuries, firefighters said in posts on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Marin firefighters said the response involved watercraft, helicopters, rescue boats, ambulances and fire engines from the National Park Service at Point Reyes, California Highway Patrol, U.S. Coast Guard, Marin County Sheriff's Department and Sonoma County Fire District.
Crew in Kentucky Rescues Man from Sinking Boat
4/13/24 – Marshall Co., KY
A man was saved from a sinking boat by a rescue squad in Marshall County, Kentucky, on 13 April.
Officials with the Marshall County Rescue Squad learned of the boat's state at about 12:48 p.m. A wife called 911 for the County to alert officials of her husband's boat beginning to sink.
According to the wife, the man was out fishing for an online competition when he told the wife of the water entering the boat. When the wife lost contact with her husband, she began to worry.
The rescue squad sent out a rescue boat as soon as officials received word of the incident from the 911 dispatcher. Officers scoured the area around the spill gates for the man and managed to transfer him into the rescue boat.
Rescuers Recover Body of Man Who Fell Overboard
4/13/24 – Jones Co., NC
The body of a man who fell off his boat into North Carolina’s White Oak River was found by crews on the night of 13 April.
According to North Carolina Wildlife Master Officer Tyler Ingle, 37-year-old Antonio Kinsey’s body was found at 12:05 p.m. on Sunday 14 April. Ingle said the crews found Kinsey using boats and drones on the White Oak River.
Kinsey was found with no life jacket on, officials said. Ingle had earlier told local reporters that “It’s a narrow body of water so we hope the search goes by quickly, but we’ll stay out here as long as we need to be with this victim’s family.” He later declared that more police officers and dive teams had joined the search.
Boater’s 11-Year-Old Son Was on Board
N.C. Wildlife was the primary investigator and Maysville Fire Department, West Carteret Fire, Craven County Emergency Management, Jones County Sheriff, and the U.S. Forest Service all assisted. The Onslow County Dive Team and Emergency Services also joined the investigation.
According to the Jones County Sheriff’s Office, first responders responded to a 911 call of a man who fell out of his boat near Long Point Boat Launch on the White Oak River in Jones County, North Carolina.
Sheriff Mathew Wineman told local reporters that the man’s 11-year-old son was inside when his father went overboard.
Two People Rescued from California River After Kayak Flips
4/14/24 – Placer Co., CA
Two people were rescued from the icy waters of California’s American River on the afternoon of 14 April after their kayak flipped, according to the CAL FIRE Nevada Yuba Placer Unit.
Personnel with the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, CAL FIRE, California Highway Patrol (CHP), and California State Parks responded to the incident which resulted in the need of a helicopter rescue.
CHP Valley Division Air Operations deployed their helicopter, H20, to assist in hoisting the two kayakers from the fast-moving and freezing waters inside the Auburn State Recreation Area.
The helicopter safely landed on the Iowa Hill Road Bridge near Mineral Bar Campground in Colfax and found the two kayakers to have no injuries.
Boat Fire in Honolulu Marina Deemed Accidental
4/14/24 – Honolulu, HI
Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) officials classified the cause of a boat fire in Ala Wai Yacht Harbor as accidental.
The call came in at 5:12 p.m. on 14 April, sending eight HFD units to the scene. Reports said the first unit arrived at the scene around 5:18 p.m. to a “boat secured to the dock involved with fire and smoke.” Firefighters secured a water supply and brought the fire under control by 5:30 p.m.
HFD then used overhaul techniques to look for any other traces of fire in void spaces. Officials confirmed there were no occupants on the boat during the incident. After further investigation, the Honolulu Fire Investigator reported the fire’s point of origin was “an electrical arc in an electrical distribution cabinet located in the cabin of the vessel.”
Reports said the fire caused $5,000 in damage to the property and $500 to the contents.
Man Rescued After Boat Sinks in Ohio River
4/15/24 – Worthington, KY
Several emergency crews were able to successfully rescue a man on 15 April, after his boat sank in the Ohio River.
A 70-year-old man was found holding on to a boat dock for more than an hour after his boat sank in the Ohio River near Worthington, Ky., according to city officials. Crews from Greenup County EMS, Russell Fire Department, Worthington firefighters and police from Flatwoods, Raceland and Greenup joined together to rescue the man.
No information was provided on whether the man had suffered any injuries.
2 People, Dog Unharmed After Boat Burns on Reservoir
4/17/24 – Rankin Co., MS
A burning boat was towed on the Ross Barnett Reservoir in Mississippi, on 17 April.
Two people and their dog were able to jump into the water when the boat caught fire. They were reportedly OK.
Another boater towed the burning boat to the Rankin County boat launch, where firefighters were waiting to put out the fire.
It wasn't immediately known what had caused the fire.