Accidents of the Week

Accidents of the Week - December 21, 2024

Accidents, Boat Wrecks, MOB, Crew Save, USCG, Sailors Stranded, Left at Sea

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.

Two Firefighters Injured in Staten Island Harbor Blaze

12/11/24 – New York, NY

Accidents of the week, Boat Fire, Grounding, USCG, Drownings, Rescue Efforts

25 units and 106 personnel responded to a boat fire at Staten Island’s Great Kills Harbor.

The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) battled a massive fire that destroyed multiple boats at Great Kills Harbor on Staten Island on the morning of 11 December.

Firefighters responded to the scene around 4:38 a.m., according to the FDNY, with about 25 units and 106 Fire and EMS personnel responding to the fire. Two firefighters sustained minor injuries and were transported to Staten Island University Hospital – North Campus. At around 9:57 a.m., the fire was brought under control.

Missing Boater Found Dead in Texas Lake

12/7/24 – Montgomery Co., TX

Accidents of the week, Boat Fire, Grounding, USCG, Drownings, Rescue Efforts

First responders searched for a boater who was later found dead in Lake Conroe, Texas.

A search for a missing boater from Montgomery County, Texas, ended in tragedy as officials located the body of 44-year-old Stephen Marriott on the afternoon of 9 December.

Officials said it all started when they received a 911 call on the night of 7 December in reference to an overdue boater on Lake Conroe, Texas. Authorities said they were told Marriott had gone fishing and hadn't returned. Law enforcement and fire department officials responded to the area and located Marriott's vehicle and boat trailer, but were unable to find Marriott.

His boat was later located unoccupied near a small island on Lake Conroe. Inside the boat was Marriott's life vest and cell phone. The search for Marriott continued over the weekend.

‘Properly Fitting Life Jackets Save Lives’

"Between us, the Precinct One Constables Office here in Montgomery County, the Texas Parks and Wildlife, the fire departments, we all have sightscans and scan the bottom of the lake, and we pick up images and that’s how we were able to find him," said Lieutenant Travis Higginbotham of the Montgomery County Precinct One Constable's Office.

According to a release, Walker County Justice of the Peace Judge Cole ordered an autopsy to determine what had caused the incident. Montgomery County Precinct 1 Constable Philip Cash said, "Regardless if you are an avid boater, an experienced swimmer, or on a watercraft for the first time, properly fitting life jackets save lives." Officials said an investigation into the incident was ongoing.

Seattle Boater Saved from Blaze by Good Samaritan

12/8/24 – Seattle, WA

Accidents of the week, Boat Fire, Grounding, USCG, Drownings, Rescue Efforts

A boater had to jump into the chilly waters of Elliott Bay after their boat was engulfed in flames.

A dramatic rescue unfolded in Seattle’s Elliott Bay, after a boat explosion prompted a swift joint response from private citizens and emergency services, including the Coast Guard and Seattle Fire Department.

The incident was brought to public attention when local radio reported that a person aboard the vessel had to jump into chilly waters following the boat's engulfment in flames. Fortunately, a private boater was nearby to rescue the individual, who emerged unscathed from what could have quickly turned into tragedy.

Seattle fire crews were seen using a pump to help with "dewatering the vessel" as they towed the charred remains toward Fourmile Rock for further assessment, while the cause of the fire was under investigation.

Boats Collide During Christmas Boat Parade

12/7/24 – Brevard Co., FL

Accidents of the week, Boat Fire, Grounding, USCG, Drownings, Rescue Efforts

Organizers of a Christmas boat parade condemned what they described as ‘reckless activity’.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) was investigating after a violent boat crash on the night of Saturday 7 December, during the Merritt Island Christmas Boat Parade.

A video shared with local news showed a boat decked out with Christmas lights speeding off after being launched into the water and soon crashing into another vessel. FWC said three people were hurt and taken to a hospital for treatment.

The event organizers released a statement that said in part, “We do not condone this type of reckless activity and will work with local law enforcement to make sure this type of activity is immediately rectified in the future.” An investigation into what caused the crash was ongoing.

Boat Catches Fire in Virginia Creek

12/10/24 – Suffolk, VA

Accidents of the week, Boat Fire, Grounding, USCG, Drownings, Rescue Efforts

After a burning boat drifted out into a Virginia creek, fire hoses were unable to reach it.

The Department of Fire & Rescue in the city of Suffolk, Virginia, received a call that smoke was coming from the backyard of a home, and crews arrived to find that the backyard of the home led to Streeter Creek, which connects to the James River.

Down a long dock, they discovered that a boat and part of the dock had caught fire. Firefighters stretched hose lines to the dock and tried to secure the boat closer to the dock, but as it continued to burn, it drifted further out into the creek. Suffolk Fire & Rescue said hose lines were unable to reach the boat at this point.

The creek was too narrow for Suffolk's fire boats to safely reach the burning boat, so Suffolk's Rescue Boat 9, a shallow draft boat, was used with a portable fire pump to suppress the fire. One firefighter was taken to the hospital with minor burns, and no other structures were impacted by the fire.

The cause and origin of the fire was being investigated by the local Fire Marshal's Office, while the Virginia Department of Emergency Management looked into any potential environmental impacts the fire may have had.

Coast Guard Rescues 3 After Boat Capsizes

12/12/24 – Charleston, SC

Accidents of the week, Boat Fire, Grounding, USCG, Drownings, Rescue Efforts

Three people whose boat had capsized were rescued by a Coast Guard crew.

A Coast Guard boat crew rescued three people on 12 December, after their 15-foot boat capsized near the entrance of the north Savannah River jetties, between Georgia and South Carolina.

A Station Tybee Island boat crew arrived on scene, rescued the three people from the jetties and safely transferred them to awaiting EMS at Station Tybee Island with no reported medical concerns. A Station Tybee Island watchstander had received the report from a good Samaritan via cell phone at 11 a.m., that three people were standing on the jetties and in need of assistance.

“Station Tybee Island boat crew did a great job today responding swiftly to the report and were able to recover all distressed persons” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Victoria Zeman, Coast Guard Sector Charleston watchstander.

“Safety equipment is crucial in distress situations,” Zeman added. “It is important to ensure your vessel is appropriately equipped before heading out on the water.”

Man Seriously Hurt in Flash Fire While Fueling Boat

12/5/24 – Fort Lauderdale, FL

Accidents of the week, Boat Fire, Grounding, USCG, Drownings, Rescue Efforts

Dock cam footage captured a refueling flash fire in which one man was seriously hurt.

Medics rushed a man to a trauma center on the night of 5 December, after flames suddenly erupted as he was fueling a boat at a marina in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

According to Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue (FLFR), it happened at around 7 p.m. behind 15th Street Fisheries. Video released by FLFR, taken from the Lauderdale Marina Dock Cam, showed the flash fire and emergency response.

First responders rushed the man to Broward Health Medical Center with burns and other injuries. Investigators were working to determine what had sparked the fire, according to FLFR.

Boaters Rescued from Sailboat 150+ Miles Offshore

12/18/24

Accidents of the week, Boat Fire, Grounding, USCG, Drownings, Rescue Efforts

The crew of an Austrian-flagged 59-foot sailboat was rescued 154 miles off the East Coast.

It doesn’t look like the kind of sailboat that gets overcome by weather that easily—an ocean-going, 59-foot Beneteau Oceanis that is outfitted for world travel.

But that’s exactly what happened just a few days after the vessel left the Chesapeake Bay. A little over 150 miles offshore, her crew was forced to call the Coast Guard for rescue and leave the Austrian-flagged boat behind.

According to Marine Traffic, Time-Aut left Hampton Roads for the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday 8 December, but by Wednesday 11 December, the crew of Time-Aut was caught in heavy weather and the boat was at risk of capsizing. At this point, they were 154 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras.

Initially, the crew notified the Coast Guard that they were not in distress, but by early the following morning they made the decision to abandon Time-Aut. The Coast Guard says at the time, the sailors were up against 17-23 mile per hour winds with seas of 6-10 feet. It’s not clear whether there were any other factors or malfunctions contributing to the crew’s need to abandon ship.

Coast Guard Response

The Fifth District Coast Guard Command Center mobilized, sending an an HC-130 Hercules airplane crew and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City. The 154-foot Coast Guard Cutter Richard Snyder, stationed in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, also responded. The sailors were safely hoisted from Time-Aut by 10 a.m. Thursday. No injuries were reported.

The Coast Guard noted that the vessel was properly equipped with life jackets, life rafts, an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), and Starlink communications. That equipment likely made a difference in allowing for their safe and timely rescue.

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