Accidents of the Week - April 5, 2025
BoatTEST publishes “Accidents of the Week” as a public service for our VIP Subscribers to acquaint them with potential boating dangers and by inference their prevention.
Boats Catch on Fire at California Marina
3/26/25 – Alameda, CA
A fire broke out at the Alameda marina in San Francisco Bay, California, early morning on 26 March, much of which was caught on a viewer's cell phone.
After the fire erupted at 3:30 a.m. at the Marina Village Parkway, eyewitness Geri Carder captured video of the blaze. One person was able to escape the burning boat safely, according to Alameda firefighters, and they said no one was in the second boat that burned.
One Boat Sinks, Another Badly Damaged
Fire spokesman Kevin Tidwell said they don't know what started the fire and they sent an investigator to the scene. The fire was quickly put out and no other vessels were damaged.
One of the boats sunk to the bottom of the harbor and the other was badly damaged. Firefighters said it would be up to the owners of those boats and their insurance companies to remove those vessels from the water.
Fire Dept. Monitors Capsized Boat in Savannah River
3/23/25 – Savannah, GA
The Fire Department in Savannah, Georgia, announced on the afternoon of 23 March that it was monitoring a capsized boat on River Street.
The department announced at the time that it would continue monitoring the boat until the Coast Guard and a County Marine unit arrived. Officials added that no occupants of the boat were in the water.
Crews Recover Body After Boat Found Capsized
3/24/25 – Baldwin Co., GA
Crews recovered the body of a man whose boat was found capsized and floating in Georgia’s Lake Sinclair on 24 March.
According to an update from Baldwin County Fire Rescue, the body was recovered on 25 March after a search that started the previous night. When reached by phone, Baldwin County Coroner John Gonzalez confirmed that a body had been found but did not immediately provide the man’s identity, citing an ongoing investigation.
Chief Deputy Coroner Stephen Chapple later identified the man as 36-year-old Chester Upton. “We are grateful to have brought closure to the family,” Baldwin County Fire Rescue’s post stated. “Please keep the family in your prayers.”
Multiple agencies launched a search and rescue operation after a boat was found capsized and floating in the lake, according to a post on Facebook by Baldwin County Fire Rescue.
Victims Identified After Deadly Boating Accident
3/21/25 – Jacksonville, FL
Three people who went missing after a boat capsized in Florida’s St. Johns River on 21 March were identified as a father and his two children, the victim's employer confirmed in a Facebook post on 24 March.
The father was Cristian Marin, who worked for Florida Homes Realty & Mortgage, a real estate firm in Jacksonville.
Three Confirmed Dead, One Missing; None Wearing PFDs: USCG
Eight people were on board the boat when it capsized on the night of 21 March, according to police. Four people were found alive, one person was found dead and three were considered missing.
The following day, authorities located two bodies, an adult and a child, with one child still missing. Although the U.S. Coast Guard suspended their search, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and other agencies continued actively searching for the child, with FWC (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) leading the investigation.
The Coast Guard said no one aboard the vessel was reportedly wearing lifejackets.
Man, 25, Loses Life While Kayaking Over Reef in Guam
3/24/25 – Dededo, GU
The waters off Tanguisson Beach in Dededo, Guam, looked relatively calm, with visitors swimming and people fishing at this popular location.
By 24 March there were no watches, warnings, or advisories for Guam from the National Weather Service, but two days earlier those waters tragically claimed the life of a 25-year-old man who was kayaking.
The Guam Fire Department (GFD) responded to Tanguisson Beach at 10:58 a.m. on 22 March, after receiving a report of a distressed kayaker over the reef. Rescue crews located three individuals in the water after they arrived, according to GFD Spokesperson Lt. Nick Garrido.
One female was safely brought to shore and required no medical attention. A boy was able to make it back to shore by himself and was transported to Guam Memorial Hospital with minor injuries. The 25-year-old man was found unresponsive. Paramedics initiated CPR, but efforts to resuscitate him were eventually stopped in consultation with medical control, due to his condition.
While Guam's waters looked inviting, beachgoers were reminded to keep safety first top of mind.
Two Rescued After Jumping in Lake to Save Dog
3/22/25 – Four Oaks, NC
Two people without life jackets were rescued from a lake in Johnston County, North Carolina, on the afternoon of 22 March, after jumping in to help a dog.
The incident was reported as a water rescue just after 5:45 p.m. at Holt’s Lake, according to the Smithfield Fire Department. Crews arrived and discovered a woman and man in the water at the lake between Four Oaks and Smithfield. A pontoon boat was disabled nearby with a person on it.
The entire ordeal began when three people and a dog were aboard a pontoon boat on the lake, officials said. The dog jumped into the lake from the pontoon boat, then a woman jumped into the lake to save the dog, according to Lt. Wheeler with the Smithfield Fire Department.
Two Jumped in Without PFDs; Pontoon Boat ‘Dead in Water’
A man then jumped from the pontoon boat to help save the woman, who was not a strong swimmer, Wheeler said. The pontoon boat — with one person still aboard — did not start and was dead in the water.
When crews got to the scene they began to deploy Smithfield Fire Department Water Rescue and Four Oaks Water Rescue teams. Crews managed to get in contact with a man who was already in a john boat on the lake. The man with the john boat managed to pluck the stranded couple out of the lake.
Crews deployed both water rescue teams and managed to get the woman and man back to shore. They were checked by Johnston County Emergency Services and were not injured.
Florida Boat Fire Likely Caused by Lightning
3/25/25 – Port Salerno, FL
A boat suffered significant damage after it was struck by lightning in Port Salerno, Florida, on the night of 25 March. Video from a neighbor showed the boat completely engulfed in flames shortly after firefighters arrived.
Martin County Fire Rescue Public Information Officer Cory Pippin said firefighters responded around 9 p.m. to the fire behind a home in the 45-hundred block of SE Manatee Terrace. “When they got there, they saw a 35-foot boat that was fully involved,” Pippin said. “They jumped into action.”
‘Boat Fires Can Be Very Dangerous’
Pippin said this was a challenging fire to fight, given the lack of room to operate and the lack of time to douse the flames before they spread to nearby homes. “Boat fires can be very dangerous, even one that’s docked with no one on board,” he said. “Obviously, that fire can quickly spread.”
The fire caused minor damage to a nearby boat, but the homes were unharmed. Investigators said most boat fires were caused by electrical issues, but in this case, security video showed the boat clearly being struck by lightning.
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