Accidents of the Week - June 20, 2026
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Cruise Ship Rescues Sailor Stranded 500 Miles Offshore
5/26/26 – Tillamook, OR
A cruise ship rescued a Canadian man stranded on his boat nearly 500 miles off the Oregon coast on May 26, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
The 74-year-old man, whom the agency did not name, was sailing from Hawaii to British Columbia when his vessel ran into gale-force winds and 30-foot high waves. The 29-foot boat's engine failed and the mast broke, injuring the man's shoulder.
Coast Guard Highlights Sailor’s Preparedness
He had made the same trip four times before, Coast Guard officials said, and had food, water, a life raft and a life jacket on board. The mariner used his handheld satellite communicator to contact the U.S. Coast Guard's Northwest District, which the agency used to track him. He was rescued 489 miles off the coast of Tillamook.
“This mariner’s experience and preparedness allowed the Coast Guard and other agencies to communicate with him and effect a rescue,” Coast Guard Northwest District Search and Rescue Program Manager Scott Giard said. “His foresight to bring a satellite communicator averted a tragedy.”
Coast Guard officials deployed a C-27J cargo plane from Sacramento, California, to function as their "eye in the sky" as they coordinated the rescue because he was so far from the shore.
The plane assessed the state of the sea and the damage to the vessel. It was also equipped with life rafts, communication gear and rations that could sustain a survivor while responders coordinated the rescue, officials said.
Boater Rescued After Vessel Fire in U.S. Virgin Islands
5/31/26 – St. Thomas, VI
Coast Guard Boat Forces Unit U.S. Virgin Islands, St Thomas Rescue, and St John Rescue marine units rescued a boater following a vessel fire near St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, on May 31.
Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan received a radio call on Channel 16 at approximately 5:15 p.m. from an aircraft reporting a vessel fire, approximately 12 nautical miles south of St. Thomas.
Watchstanders directed the launch of a Coast Guard MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Borinquen in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico and a Boat Forces Unit U.S. Virgin Islands 33-foot Special Purpose craft-Law Enforcement to respond and search for signs of distress.
45-Foot Catamaran Sank After Fire
Shortly thereafter, the Coast Guard vessel, a St Thomas Rescue marine unit and a St. John Rescue unit arrived on scene locating the boater floating and clinging to an overturned dinghy.
The Coast Guard boat crew recovered the boater, who reported being the sole passenger aboard the 45-foot catamaran, Abundance, which sank after the fire. The survivor was transferred to a Virgin Islands Fire and Emergency Medical Services crew, who transported him to Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas.
Teen Paddleboarder Drowns in South Dakota Reservoir
5/29/26 – Rapid City, SD
A 15-year-old boy, Sawyer Eck, died on May 29 after going underwater at South Dakota’s Belle Fourche Reservoir, according to the Butte County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities said dispatch received a call around 2:15 p.m. reporting a swimmer in distress at the reservoir’s Tequila Beach area. Witnesses reported the teen had been on a paddleboard in windy, rough conditions when he lost hold of the board and went under the water.
Bystanders tried to find him but were unsuccessful. Search crews from South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks and the Belle Fourche Fire Department launched boats and conducted water, air and ground searches.
The paddleboard was recovered within about an hour. The Pennington County Search and Rescue Dive Team later joined the effort, focusing on the area where the teen was last seen. His body was recovered around 7:50 p.m., officials said.
Three Rescued from Capsized Vessel in Florida Keys
6/7/26 – Monroe Co., FL
Three people were saved at sea after their boat flipped in the Florida Keys. The U.S. Coast Guard said their crew found three boaters on June 7 after their vessel had capsized off Big Pine Key.
The boaters were pulled from the water and transported to Bahia Honda State Park. No injuries were reported.
One Rescued After PWC Breaks Down 20 Miles Offshore
6/5/26 – Miami, FL
A mariner was rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard 20 miles east of Miami Beach on June 5 after being found aboard a disabled personal watercraft (PWC) in inclement weather.
Officials said the coordinated rescue involved multiple units working together under the command of U.S. Coast Guard Sector Miami, including crews from U.S. Coast Guard Station Miami Beach, U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Miami, the cutter U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Robert Yered, and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Rescue crews located the mariner stranded as a storm moved through the area. The individual was safely brought aboard and later reunited with loved ones.
Coast Guard Assists Boat Taking on Water
5/30/26 – Brevard Co., FL
A U.S. Coast Guard Station Port Canaveral boat crew assisted four people aboard a 20-foot vessel that was taking on water approximately 12 miles offshore of Florida’s Cape Canaveral on May 30.
According to the Coast Guard, the crew arrived on scene and helped dewater the vessel while escorting it safely back to shore.
With assistance from the Coast Guard, the boat returned to Sunrise Marina, where it was hauled out of the water. No injuries were reported.
Seven Rescued After Boat Sinks in Branford Harbor
6/6/26 – Branford, CT
Seven people were rescued after a vessel began sinking in Connecticut’s Branford Harbor on June 6.
According to the Branford Fire Department, Marine Units 2 and 5 responded at approximately 1:17 p.m. along with the U.S. Coast Guard and SeaTow after receiving a report of a sinking boat with seven people aboard. Nearby mariners assisted the occupants to safety while SeaTow initiated salvage operations.
All seven occupants were evaluated by Branford Fire Department paramedics. No injuries were reported. The cause of the sinking was not immediately available.
Coast Guard Rescues 2 Stranded Fishermen
5/30/26 – Shelton, WA
The U.S. Coast Guard rescued two fishermen who became stranded on the South Fork of the Skokomish River, according to the Sheriff’s Office in Mason County, Washington.
The fishermen were transported for medical evaluation after being rescued on May 30, authorities said. Earlier in the day, Guardian One had located the two men after they spent the night stranded along the river.
Stranded Fishermen Built Fire, Sheltered in Place
Authorities said the fishermen were able to build a small fire and shelter in place overnight, helping them stay warm while rescue operations continued. Rescue coordinators determined that ground teams could not safely reach the fishermen because of challenging terrain and river conditions.
Officials then requested additional aerial resources, and a helicopter from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Astoria responded to the scene. Authorities said there were no reports of major injuries.
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