Accidents of the Week - January 24, 2026

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One Dies, One Rescued After Lake Collision

11/9/26 – Crescent City, FL 

A man died in a boating accident on Florida’s Crescent Lake on the morning of 9 January, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) told local reporters.

The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office said the accident happened near Bear Island around 6:42 a.m., with firefighters reporting that units had responded to the scene of the accident. A person called 911 and said they heard people yelling for help in the water, but was too far away to see the accident.

Both Boaters Ejected After Two Vessels Collide

The FWC said two boats, each with one occupant on board, were traveling on Crescent Lake when they collided, ejecting both occupants into the water. The two were recovered from the water by nearby boaters and Putnam County Fire Rescue transported a man to a nearby hospital, but it is unclear if he died in transport or at the hospital.

Mark Turner gave CPR to the victim and he described the incident. “We were out in front getting ready to launch our boat and fish and we heard a loud crash and my fishing partner - It’s actually his boat - he said that was a crash, I think so and then a second later he said he heard somebody screaming for help. So we dropped the boat in the water and went out there, and there was two guys floating in the water and one of them was unresponsive and we dragged him into the boat,” Turner said.

He added that they tried to give CPR to the man but he appeared dead already. The Crescent City boat ramp will “likely” be closed for an undetermined amount of time, officials said. 
 

Two Duck Hunters Rescued from Sinking Boat

1/10/26 – Gun Barrel City, TX

Two duck hunters were saved from a sinking boat on 10 January in Cedar Creek Lake, Texas.

Gun Barrel City Fire Department (GBFD) responded to a request from Henderson County Sheriff's Office at 10:16 a.m. about a duck hunting boat taking water on Cedar Creek Lake. The department launched Rescue Boat 1 and a Tool Fire Rescue Boat to locate the boat and victims following an initial search of the scene.

Crews located the two hunters about 500 yards from Oak Hill Drive. At the time of the rescue, lake conditions included high winds and waves reducing visibility, complicating rescue efforts.

The two hunters were rescued from the water and treated by UT Health EMS and other first responders. The hunters had been in approximately 56-degree water for an estimated 90 minutes, and were transported to a local hospital for further evaluation. No injuries were reported among first responders.

Coast Guard Rescues 3 from Capsized Vessel 

1/10/26 – Miami, FL

A Coast Guard Station Marathon boat crew rescued three boaters after their 21-foot vessel capsized approximately 12 miles north of Marathon, on the Florida Keys, on 10 January.

The three boaters were in stable condition and safely transported back to Station Marathon with no injuries reported.

At 5:49 a.m., Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders received a notification via 911 relay from a mariner in distress reporting that his vessel was taking on water and that he was without life jackets.

Sector Key West watchstanders launched a Station Marathon rescue crew which located and embarked the three boaters at 6:41a.m. 
 

Coast Guard Rescues Missing Fisherman 

1/12/26 – Fort Macon, NC

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a solo fisherman in North Carolina’s Core Sound on 12 January after the man failed to return from a day trip, officials said.

The search began after family members notified authorities that the boater was overdue. A C-130 Hercules aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City was deployed to the area, eventually locating the missing vessel by utilizing its Automatic Identification System (AIS) signal.

Once the vessel was spotted from the air, the flight crew coordinated with a boat crew from Coast Guard Station Fort Macon. The rescue team reached the mariner and transported him safely back to shore.
 

Oceanside Lifeguards Rescue 2 from Overturned Vessel

1/14/26 – Oceanside, CA

Oceanside Lifeguards conducted an ocean rescue of an overturned 15-foot vessel near Southern California’s Oceanside Harbor on the afternoon of 14 January, saving two people who were onboard.

According to the Oceanside Fire Department, at around 1:27 p.m., lifeguards responded to reports of an overturned center-console vessel near the mouth of Oceanside Harbor.

The incident was initially seen by a lifeguard assigned to an open harbor tower, who immediately initiated an open rescue response. Several units responded, including a lifeguard rescue boat and a personal watercraft.

The two were transported to the Patrol Deck, where they met with waiting paramedics. One of the individuals was released from the scene with no injuries, while the other was transported to the hospital with undisclosed injuries.

The capsized boat was turned over to a commercial salvage company for recovery and was successfully removed from the rocks. It was returned to the owner around 3 p.m.

 

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