Accidents of the Week - February 14, 2026
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Hunter Rescued from Jon Boat on West Virginia River
1/31/26 – St. Albans, WV
Several emergency crews responded to a man stranded in a jon boat on West Virginia’s Coal River on the morning of 31 January.
Witnesses in the area said they heard the person fire a gun in an attempt to get people’s attention. They said the man was hunting in the area when he became stranded.
The man was rescued and was said to be okay.
Body of Missing Kayaker Recovered in Florida Bayou
1/31/26 – Okaloosa Co., FL
The Sheriff’s Office in Okaloosa County (OCSO), Florida, announced on 1 February that they had recovered the body of 32-year-old Wessam Bassam Shaer.
According to OCSO, Shaer went missing on 31 January from Boggy Bayou in the area of Lincoln Park after capsizing a kayak. They say a witness saw him capsize his kayak.
Officials located the kayak and removed it from the water, but Shaer was not with the vessel. Officials recovered Shaer’s body at around 9:15 a.m. the following day.
Houseboat Fire Erupts at Marina on Percy Priest Lake
2/3/26 – Nashville, TN
A houseboat fire at Elm Hill Marina in Nashville, Tennessee, caused significant damage to multiple boats early morning on 3 February.
The Nashville Fire Department (NFD) reported that crews arrived just before 7 a.m. to find the houseboat, located on Percy Priest Lake, engulfed in flames, which then spread to nearby vessels. All occupants of the boat evacuated before crews arrived, and fortunately, no one was injured.
NFD added that at least 13 boats were damaged in the fire, and the worst damage was reported at the dock's end.
Containment Boom Deployed to Manage Runoff
The Office of Emergency Management marine operations were dispatched to assist from the water. To protect the environment, more than 1,000 feet of containment boom was requested to manage fuel and runoff. Heavy smoke was seen in the area, which is located just past Nashville International Airport.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency was investigating the cause of the fire.
Sailboat Nearly Sinks at Southern California Surf Spot
2/1/26 – Laguna Beach, CA
Four people were rescued after a sailboat struck submerged rocks near a well-known surf break in Laguna Beach, California, on the evening of 1 February, according to local authorities.
The incident occurred near Rockpile, a surf spot below Laguna Beach’s Heisler Park. Witnesses onshore reported seeing emergency lights flashing from a marine safety vessel circling a yacht that appeared to be taking on water.
Laguna Beach Marine Safety Capt. Dane Doran confirmed that the department’s rescue vessel, Wave Watch, responded to the scene and removed all four individuals safely from the sailboat. “Our lifeguard rescue vessel, Wave Watch, rescued all four people on the boat,” Doran said.
“The sailboat sustained enough damage that it submerged overnight. It has since been recovered by a tow service out of Newport Beach and is being towed back to Newport Harbor,” Doran added.
Authorities said the vessel reportedly struck a rock formation at the southern end of the break. The area contains several submerged hazards, including one locally nicknamed the “cheese grater” due to its abrasive rock surface.
Conditions at the time included extremely low tide, which may have increased the exposure of underwater obstacles. No injuries were reported.
Boaters Rescued 450 Miles Offshore by Coast Guard, Tanker Crew
2/2/26 – Daytona Beach, FL
A Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City HC-130 Hercules aircrew and motor tanker Radiant Pride’s crew rescued three people at approximately 2:20 a.m. on 2 February, from a sailing vessel taking on water 450 miles east of Daytona Beach, Florida.
The three mariners were brought aboard Radiant Pride in stable condition with no injuries reported.
Coast Guard Alerted by EPIRB
Coast Guard Southeast District command center watchstanders received an emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) alert at approximately 3:20 p.m., 1 February, reporting the distress. Southeast watchstanders launched the aircrew, which located the vessel at approximately 8:30 p.m. taking on water in 20-foot seas.
The HC-130 aircrew issued a distress radio broadcast requesting assistance for any mariners in the area to respond.
Kayaker Dies After Distress Call Near Sanibel Causeway
2/4/26 – Sanibel, FL
A kayaker who was found unresponsive by crews in the water near the Sanibel Causeway on 4 February passed away, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
Crews from the FWC and other agencies responded to a watercraft in distress in Sanibel at around 9 a.m. According to FWC, the Lee County Sheriff's Office, the Sanibel Police Department, the U.S. Coast Guard, and Lee County EMS responded to a single-vehicle incident near the Sanibel Causeway.
FWC sources added that one person was found unresponsive in the water near an overturned kayak just outside of the Causeway. CPR was performed on the individual, who was later transported to a nearby hospital.
People living near the water said they saw crews searching. "I heard a chopper circling, and you could tell that there was something unusual going on." Fred Barthmaier said. "It spent some time in the same area."
FWC confirmed that the kayaker, identified as Mark Kocher, 60, of Fort Myers Beach, was declared dead at the hospital as a result of the incident.
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