Accidents of the Week - August 15, 2026

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Early-Morning Marina Fire Destroys 7 Boats

7/29/26 – Beaufort Co., SC

Seven boats were destroyed on July 29 in an early-morning fire at Palmetto Bay Marina, on South Carolina’s Hilton Head Island. No injuries were reported, and the cause remained under investigation.

Boat owners at the marina said people quickly checked on one another and moved boats away from the fire where they could.

“Pretty soon after that, we had about probably eight people out here all just making sure that people were okay,” said boat owner Jamie Wylly. “Everybody was just looking out for each other, moving boats as we needed to and just making sure we were all safe.”

Boater Wakes to Intense Heat

Gary Strelow was sleeping aboard a boat docked next to one of the burning vessels when he awoke to smoke, popping glass and intense heat.

“I just saw nothing but orange. I mean, it was like the sun was right next to me,” Strelow said.

He briefly considered jumping into the water before finding another way off the dock. Wylly said his first thought was to find Strelow and make sure he was safe.

The marina remained open afterward, with boat tours and other traffic continuing through the area as people moved around burned sections of dock and damaged boats.

Boater Charged After Fatal Pontoon Collision

7/25/26 – McHenry Co., IL

A 45-year-old Illinois man was detained after authorities alleged he drunkenly operated a 31-foot Southbay pontoon that struck and drove over a 20-foot Crownline on the Fox River, killing a 48-year-old woman onboard.

The collision occurred around 2:30 p.m. south of the McHenry Dam. Prosecutors alleged Richard Stevenson, of Lisle, was operating the pontoon at an “extremely high rate of speed” when it struck the stern of the Crownline and rode over the smaller boat.

Woman Decapitated in Collision

Illinois Conservation Police found the Crownline severely damaged and the woman dead onboard. According to local news reports citing prosecutors, the woman was decapitated in the collision. Her identity had not been made public at the time of reporting.

The pontoon ran aground nearby, and Stevenson was later found among trees off the shoreline near where the boat had stopped. Authorities said two other people who had been aboard the pontoon left before law enforcement arrived.

BAC Allegedly About .200

According to prosecutors, blood tests showed Stevenson had a blood alcohol concentration of approximately .200. Witnesses told investigators he had been drinking throughout the day and traveling at high speeds on the Chain O’ Lakes and Fox River shortly before the collision.

Stevenson faces two counts of aggravated driving under the influence causing death and one count of reckless homicide.
 

Texas Game Wardens Rescue Stranded Fisherman

7/25/26 – Lake Tawakoni, TX  

A fisherman who was thrown from his boat during a fishing tournament on Texas’ Lake Tawakoni was rescued after spending more than three hours in rough water on July 25, thanks to an extensive search effort and several key safety measures, Texas game wardens said.

Texas Game Warden Dewayne Noble said crews responded just after 7 a.m. after receiving an emergency call from the fisherman, Steven Otto. According to Noble, Otto was ejected from his boat after it struck a tree stump in the middle of the lake.

The emergency call came from Otto's Apple Watch. The Tawakoni Volunteer Fire Department responded first to the location and found the boat, but no one around. That's when the Texas Game Wardens were contacted.

"You have a general idea, but given the conditions that we were in, it's a tough search," Noble said.

Noble said crews faced challenging conditions, with 3- to 4-foot rolling waves across the lake. For hours, local firefighters, a helicopter, neighboring departments and game wardens searched for Otto, focusing on where the waves may have carried him.

Game Warden Credits PFD, Kill Switch, Apple Watch 

"We got off the shoreline about a quarter mile maybe, and Warden [Josh] Bonney was looking with his binoculars — 'I think I see him,'" Noble said.

Game wardens eventually located Otto and pulled him from the water. He had been afloat for about three and a half hours, wearing the life jacket that Noble said likely saved his life.

"A credit to him wearing his life jacket, wearing the engine cut-off lanyard and realistically having an iWatch on," Noble said. "It sounds funny his iWatch didn't have service, but he was able to make an emergency call, and that's potentially what saved his life."
 

Boat Catches Fire, Sinks in NY’s Cayuga Lake 

7/27/26 – Cayuga Lake, NY

A boat caught fire and sank on Cayuga Lake on July 27. The sole occupant was able to make it safely to shore.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known. New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation was investigating the incident following a minimal fuel leak from the vessel.

The amount of fuel released following the sinking was reported to be minimal, and no injuries were reported.

1 Injured After 2 Boats Collide Near Florida Coast

7/25/26 – Hernando Co., FL

First responders launched an investigation after two boats reportedly crashed into each other on the morning of July 25.

According to Hernando County Fire Rescue (HCFR), crews responded to the incident off the coast of Hernando Beach, Florida, just before 11:30 a.m. Crews arrived and found a two-boat collision.

One person was injured when they were struck by a boat overtaking their vessel, HCFR said.

First responders provided patient care while returning to the Aripeka boat ramp, where the patient was further evaluated but declined transport to the hospital. No additional injuries were reported.
 

2 Rescued After Sailboat Strikes Bridge Piling

7/27/26 – Manatee Co., FL

Two people were rescued on July 27 after a sailboat struck a bridge piling near the Manatee Avenue Bridge in Manatee County, Florida.

Strong winds reportedly caused the approximately 30-foot catamaran to crash into the piling, snapping its mast, according to West Manatee Fire Rescue.

West Manatee Fire Rescue, Manatee County Beach Patrol and Manatee County EMS responded to the scene. A West Manatee Fire Rescue rescue swimmer and a Beach Patrol lifeguard entered the water to help remove both people from the damaged vessel.

The occupants were brought ashore at Kingfish Boat Ramp. One person suffered a head laceration and was taken to a local hospital. Officials did not provide that person’s condition.
 

In ‘PAWesome Rescue’ USCG Assists 3 People, Dog 

7/27/26 – Ashland Co., WI

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued three people and a dog stranded on an island in Lake Superior, calling it a “PAWesome rescue.”

Sector Northern Great Lakes watchstanders said they got a report from a Good Samaritan that a vessel had run aground near Oak Island on July 27, stranding three people and a dog.

Station Bayfield launched a 29-foot Response Boat–Small crew, which brought everyone aboard and returned them safely to Red Cliff Marina.

 

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