Accidents of the Week - July 6, 2024
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.
Golden Retriever Lost in Boating Accident Found Alive
6/23/24 – Charleston, SC
Rocky the golden retriever was found alive and well after he went missing as a result of a boating accident on 23 June.
Jeff Wiseman was piloting his skiff on the Ashley River in Charleston, South Carolina, with the family dog, Rocky, when the current picked up unexpectedly. The boat collided with an abandoned concrete dock about a half-mile south of Dolphin Cove Marina and sent the pair into the river, said his wife, Kim Wiseman.
Jeff slammed into the side of the skiff, breaking seven ribs in the process. When he surfaced, Rocky was nowhere to be found. With the day fading into dusk and with light quickly dimming, the Wiseman family searched for an hour or two before they could no longer see into the water.
Kim immediately took to Facebook, asking for all in the area to keep an eye out for Rocky. She alerted the Charleston Animal Society the following day. The Charleston Animal Society doesn’t normally post online about missing pets in the area, but Kay Hyman, director of community engagement, thought it couldn’t hurt to post on their Facebook page.
Dog Located After Facebook Post Went Viral
What followed was an unexpected social media storm that fascinated both Hyman and Wiseman. The Animal Society’s post was shared over 3,800 times. Wiseman said her phone blew up. People she had never met before started adding her as a friend on Facebook and offered their support.
One person from Georgia drove over and brought a thermal imaging drone to assist in the search. Then, on the morning of June 25, Wiseman got the call she’d been waiting for: someone had located Rocky.
A family recognized the pup in their backyard from social media. They found him chasing after a raccoon and wearing the red life jacket he went missing in. Everyone had been looking for Rocky in the wrong spot. No one expected the dog to have swam across the Ashley River onto the adjacent shore.
Vessel Sinks at Haulover Inlet; 2 Boaters Rescued
6/22/24 – Miami, FL
After a vessel took on water on 22 June, Miami Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR) lifeguards on personal watercraft, responded to an emergency call and rescued two boaters from the vessel by utilizing a rescue board.
The incident happened in the afternoon at Miami’s infamous Haulover Inlet. The two boaters were safely transported to the shoreline by rescuers, and no medical attention was needed.
Man Severely Injured by Propeller in North Texas Lake
6/23/24 – Azle, TX
A man is facing a long recovery battle after being severely injured in a horrific boating accident at a North Texas lake.
According to the Fire Department in Azle, Texas, first responders were called to Twin Points Beach on Eagle Mountain Lake on Saturday 22 June, around 8:45 p.m., where they found a man who had been struck by a boat propeller.
Azle Fire officials said Kyle Lively, who took the boat out on the lake, was thrown off the back of the vessel and into the water without warning.
Boater Airlifted to Hospital ‘in Critical Condition’
As a result, the propellers tore Lively's legs to shreds. He was able to swim to the surface and call for help. After being found by three bystanders, 911 was called, and the individuals helped Lively, putting pressure on his wounds and getting him to shore.
Due to the severity of the damage to Lively's legs, first responders immediately called air medical when they arrived. Lively was airlifted to Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth by Careflite and was considered to be in critical condition.
Lively’s sister, Marie, told local reporters that her brother has always been a caring family man who loves taking his two boys for a ride on his boat.
Boat Catches Fire at Key Biscayne Marina, Two People Hurt
6/23/24 – Key Biscayne, FL
A boat fire at a marina in Key Biscayne, Florida, left two people injured on the afternoon of 23 June, according to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR).
Firefighters, paramedics, police officers, and state law enforcement responded to the well-known Crandon Park Marina at 4000 Crandon Boulevard, near Virginia Key. “We are still unsure about the cause of the fire,” said Alarm Office Chief Sergio Llorella.
The Miami-Dade government’s public record of MDFR’s active calls revealed nearly a dozen units responding to a “fire boat” shortly before 12:15 p.m. The call, which remained active until about 1:05 p.m., included an aircraft unit.
Both victims were taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital and their condition was unknown.
Two Injured When Boat Runs Ashore on North Carolina Beach
6/22/24 – Atlantic Beach, NC
Police say two people were hurt after a boat crash in Carteret County, North Carolina, on 22 June.
The Atlantic Beach Police Department said it happened around 6:00 pm, east of the Doubletree Hotel pier. According to Sgt. Clark, seven people were traveling on the vessel when it ran ashore at a fair amount of speed. He explained that two people on the boat were transported to the hospital with minor injuries.
Clark said the boat was later pulled back into the water by Tow Boat US, while NC Wildlife was handling the investigation. The Atlantic Beach Police, Fire Department, and EMS, as well as the Pine Knoll Shores Police and Fire Department, were all on the scene.
Sgt. Clark said officials would determine whether the accident was due to mechanical or operator error.
Several Rescued After 2 Boats Collide in Lake Michigan
6/23/24 – Racine, WI
Fourteen people, including children, were involved in a crash between two boats on 23 June near Lake Michigan’s Reef Point Marina in Racine, Wisconsin.
The Racine County Sheriff's Office explained that speed and alcohol were a factor as one boat carrying three people, including kids, crashed into a second boat with eleven people on board, also including kids.
"It seems readily apparent that laws were broken, but that's the next step," said Racine County Sherriff's Office Public Information Officer Lt. Michael Luell. "The first step is saving people's lives."
‘Good Samaritan’ Boat Pulled People from Water
Lt. Luell said there were multiple injuries, including one child who was med-flighted to an area hospital with a life-threatening head injury. The rest of the victims were believed to have non-life-threatening injuries.
Several people were rescued from the water. Lt. Luell explained that a third, civilian boat was first on the scene and began pulling people from the water immediately. He called it the 'good Samaritan' boat. "It could have been a lot worse." Lt. Luell said.
Multiple agencies responded, with rescue teams launching 'heat-seeking' drones to continue the search for victims.
One Person Injured in Ozarks Boat, Dock Fire
6/25/24 – Osage, MO
The Osage Beach Fire Protection District (OBFD) responded to a boat and dock fire on June 25 that injured one person at the Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri. Crews responded to the call around 12:54 a.m. on 25 June at the Osage Arm of Autumn Lane, near the 21-mile marker.
According to a press release, the first crew to arrive saw a single well dock and boat fully engulfed in flames and heavy smoke. The Osage Beach Ambulance treated one person injured in the fire before transporting them to Lake Regional Hospital. OBFD said the extent of the person's injuries was unknown.
Surrounding areas of the dock and other boats were exposed to the flames but were quickly treated and extinguished by firefighters.
OBFD received assistance from the Mid-County Fire Protection District, as well as the Osage Beach Police Department. The fire was under investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol Water Division and OBFD.
Coast Guard Rescues Boater in Disabled Vessel 20 Miles Offshore
6/23/24 – Sanibel, FL
A person in a disabled 40-foot boat was rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg on 23 June.
Crews say they responded to the disabled boat 20 miles off the coast of Sanibel Island, Florida, after the person's locator beacon alerted the watchstanders. “The operator had a personal locator beacon, and it helped us find him really easily," said Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Kieran Neschich.
No injuries were reported.
Fire Destroys Boat, Sends One to Hospital
6/23/24 – Eustis, FL
A boat fire that sent one person to the hospital with injuries on 23 June was under investigation in Eustis, Florida.
The City of Eustis Fire Department was working with Florida State Fire Marshals to investigate a fire that burned a boat down to the water line as it was being launched at the Lakeshore Drive Boat Ramp, which resulted in injuries. According to Fire Chief Mike Swanson, one person was sent to a hospital in Orlando with injuries, but no further information was available at that time.
The Eustis Fire Department responded immediately to the fire and remained on scene for several hours to douse the flames and mitigate any damage from leaking fuel. “It appears that the cause of the fire was mechanical failure and was unintentional,” said Swanson. “The boat will remain in the water until the investigation is fully complete.”
The burned boat was visible from the boat ramp and appeared to be in at least two separate pieces. Boaters were urged to steer clear of the wreckage as it was unsafe and part of an active investigative scene.
Two Rescued from Hudson River After PWC Fall
6/23/24 – New York, NY
Two jet skiers were rescued from the Hudson River in New York, after they fell off their rides and were swept away by hard currents, authorities said.
It wasn't clear if the men had been with a tour or on their own when they fell into the water. They had lifejackets on. Both made it out safely.
According to a tweet from the New York Police Department (NYPD), “2 men were jet-skiing in the Hudson River when they fell into the water, drifting far off due to the currents. Your @NYPDSpecialOps Aviation and Harbor cops quickly responded, locating the men and rescuing them safely.”