Accidents of the Week - April 25, 2026
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Coast Guard Rescues 3 After Boat Takes on Water
4/19/26 – Key West, FL
The U.S. Coast Guard rescued three people on April 19th after their boat took on water off the coast of Florida’s Key Largo near Carysfort Reef Lighthouse, an area known for treacherous reefs.
The boat took on water near the Carysfort Reef Lighthouse, the oldest screw-pile lighthouse in the United States, until it was decommissioned in 2015. The historic structure is located in Carysfort Reef, known as one of the most dangerous reef systems in Florida, with more than 60 shipwrecks dating back to the 1800s.
Officials said all three individuals were safely transferred for attention by emergency medical personnel. One person sustained minor injuries, while the other two reported no injuries.
According to the Coast Guard, Sector Key West watchstanders received a 911 notification about a vessel taking on water that later ran aground.
At the time of the incident, one person remained aboard the vessel, another climbed a nearby structure, and a third was in the water.
Boat Fire ‘Explosion’ Injures Child, Woman on ICW
4/19/26 – Venice, FL
A boat fire at a public ramp in Venice, Florida, injured a 5-year-old boy and a 41-year-old woman on April 19th after what the woman called an onboard “explosion.”
Venice Fire Rescue responded around 1:16 p.m. to the Marina Park Boat Ramp near the Historic Venice Train Depot and the Intracoastal Waterway, where crews found a family of four at the scene.
After Explosion, Boat Drifted Along ICW
Officials said the child and the woman suffered serious burns. The boy was airlifted to a hospital in Tampa. The woman was transported by ambulance to Sarasota Memorial Hospital. Two other passengers, a teenage boy and an adult male, were not injured.
The vessel, an inboard/outboard boat, drifted along the Intracoastal Waterway before another boater recovered it and towed it back to the ramp. Firefighters said the fire was out by the time the boat was retrieved. Venice Police assisted at the scene.
Authorities said the cause of the fire remained under investigation and had not yet been determined.
Fire Department Rescues 2 from Overturned PWC
4/18/26 – Ocean City, MD
Two individuals were rescued after their personal watercraft overturned in the bay near Ocean City, Maryland. Multiple agencies, including the Ocean City Fire Department and the U.S. Coast Guard, responded to the incident.
At about 2:20 p.m. on April 18th, the Ocean City 911 Center received a call reporting an overturned jet ski with two individuals in the water. Ocean City Fire Department (OCFD) units responded alongside allied agencies including the United States Coast Guard and Maryland Natural Resources Police.
Fire Chief Highlights Use of Whistle, PFDs
The caller was able to provide critical direction, guiding responders to the area near Madison Avenue and the bay. OCFD rescue swimmers entered the water from land and maintained visual contact with the two until the arrival of Fire Boat 1, which successfully located the two individuals and brought them safely aboard. Both occupants declined further medical evaluation and transport.
“This incident highlights the importance of being prepared while on the water,” said Fire Chief Josh Bunting. “Both individuals were wearing life jackets and used a whistle to signal for help.”
"Because they had the proper safety equipment, crews were able to locate them quickly. This is a strong reminder that safety equipment saves lives, and the outcome could have been much different without it.”
The Ocean City Fire Department reminded all residents and visitors to always wear properly fitted life jackets and carry signaling devices when operating or riding on personal watercraft.
Firefighters Contain Sailboat Blaze at Florida Marina
4/18/26 – Fort Pierce, FL
Firefighters extinguished a blaze that broke out on April 18th in a dry-docked sailboat at a marina in Fort Pierce, Florida, according to the St. Lucie County Fire District.
Crews responded at 11:40 a.m. to the marina on Old Dixie Highway following a report of a vessel fire. Flames were coming from the 30-foot sailboat when firefighters arrived.
Crews brought the blaze under control, containing the damage to the boat. No one was injured and no one was taken to a hospital. The boat was unoccupied at the time.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation.
Six Injured in School Fishing Competition Boat Crash
4/19/26 – Contra Costa Co., CA
Six people were injured on the morning of April 19th when two boats slammed into each other on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta near Discovery Bay, California, according to officials.
The crash occurred during a high school fishing competition. Four of those injured were hospitalized, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office told local reporters on April 20th.
The collision occurred near Orwood Resort when one of the boats failed to stop in time, the sheriff’s office said. It slammed into the second boat, which had slowed down in the no-wake zone. The fishing teams, each consisting of two teenage anglers and an adult boater, had held a safety meeting before the competition, organizers said.
More than 50 teams took part in the fishing contest. Three people on board the boat that did not stop were thrown into the water, and nearby boaters came to their rescue. The three people on the second boat were also injured.
The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, along with the sheriff’s office, responded to the incident.
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