Accidents of the Week - December 6, 2025
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Search Still Underway for Missing Waterman
12/2/25 – Deal Island, MD
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police (NRP) and the fishing community continued to search for Lonnie “LJ” Johnson, charter operator and owner of a popular fishing tackle company who disappeared from his boat on 13 November.
While hope of finding Johnson alive faded after the first couple of days, the tight-knit Bay boating industry hoped Johnson’s body could be recovered to bring closure to his family. NRP said the search for Johnson was still on as of 2 December, with rescue crews continuing to log long hours on boats and helicopters
Missing Boater’s Vessel Found Unoccupied
The party that initially reported Johnson missing and overdue also tracked down the missing man's center console vessel using his cellphone's location. The boat was unoccupied.
Johnson's boat had made its way to James Island, a partially submerged landmass off the coast of the Eastern Shore's Dorchester County. The 65-year-old had taken his boat out at Chesapeake Beach in Calvert County, on the western side of the bay.
The Maryland Natural Resources Police led the initial search for Johnson alongside five other partner agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard and the Maryland State Police Aviation.
Coast Guard Rescues 8 from Disabled Boat in Florida
11/15/25 – Venice, FL
The U.S. Coast Guard rescued eight people from a disabled boat approximately 35 miles west of Venice, Florida, on 15 November. The boaters were safely brought back to a Venice Inlet boat ramp without any reported injuries after their 26-foot vessel became disabled.
“Before going out on the water, make sure you tell someone where you are going and when you will be back,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler Beasley, a Station Cortez boarding officer.
An Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew located boaters on their disabled vessel in 2- to 3-foot seas and 5-10 knot winds at 9:32 p.m. They directed the boat crew to the vessel’s position.
A Venice Police officer had reported the overdue vessel to Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg at 1:44 p.m.
One Dies in Boating Accident on Louisiana Lake
11/15/25 - Beauregard Parish, LA
Authorities were investigating a deadly boating accident on Louisiana’s Lake Bundick, with Beauregard Parish Sheriff Mark Herford confirming that one person was dead.
Agents said they were called out to the incident on Bundick Lake around 3 a.m. They were told that four people were out duck hunting in a 14-foot aluminum boat when it began taking on water and eventually capsized.
The incident resulted in the death of John F. Lowe, 58, of DeRidder, Louisiana, whose body was recovered later that day around 12:30 p.m.
Victim Reportedly Took Off PFD to Remove Waders
According to the three surviving members of the boat, all four occupants were wearing personal flotation devices (PFD) when they began taking on water, but Lowe took his off in order to remove his waders. When the boat sank and all four went into the water, Lowe had not put his PFD back on yet and did not resurface.
The three survivors were able to cling to the capsized vessel until they were rescued by a good Samaritan.
Lowe’s body was turned over to the Beauregard Parish Coroner’s Office to determine an official cause of death.
7 Rescued, 4 Injured After Boat Crashes into Rocks
11/16/25 – Cape Canaveral, FL
Several people were injured in a boating accident after a single vessel crashed into rocks on the north side of Port Canaveral, Florida, on 16 November, according to Canaveral Fire Rescue (CFR).
CFR said a total of seven people were involved in the crash, with four being trauma alerts due to injuries. A water rescue was conducted near Christopher Columbus Drive and Jetty Park Drive in Cape Canaveral, according to Brevard County Fire Rescue.
The Brevard County Sheriff's Office, which assisted with the rescue, confirmed multiple patients were transported with injuries. The cause of the crash remained unknown.
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