Accidents of the Week - March 16, 2025
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Kayaker Missing on River in Oregon
3/1/25 – Malheur Co., OR
Search and rescue teams from Oregon and Idaho were in recovery mode after a 56-year-old kayaker went missing on the Owyhee River near Snively Hot Springs, in Oregon.
Troy Lukens, a 56-year-old, disappeared on 1 March after attempting to kayak on the river. His girlfriend, Kerri Jo, reported him missing when he failed to appear downstream at their designated meeting point.
"I said, 'Don't get in the water.' And he wouldn't listen to me," Jo said. She had dropped Lukens off above Snively Hot Springs, where he planned to kayak down to meet her below the hot springs. When Lukens didn't arrive as scheduled, Jo searched the area.
Kayaker Lacked PFD, ‘Proper Paddle’: Sheriff
Sheriff Travis Johnson of Malheur County, Oregon, said more than 80 personnel from multiple agencies were involved in the search operation that began on 1 March and continued through 3 March. "We did our best shore patrol, but quickly realized, with the other witnesses who saw him go in and never saw him come back out again, that we were probably going into recovery mode," Sheriff Johnson said.
The Owyhee County Irrigation District said water levels were higher than usual. "He put in above there, did not have a personal flotation device or a proper paddle to navigate through that kind of water," Johnson added.
Search efforts continued, with teams using probes to search the riverbed and spotters using binoculars to monitor from the cliffs above. "We'll continue to monitor the water and hopefully catch him somewhere between where he went in and downriver," Johnson said.
Woman Hospitalized After Gator Attack in Florida
3/3/25 – Osceola Co., FL
A woman was taken to a hospital after being attacked by an alligator on 3 March in Florida’s Polk County, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
Officials said they received reports of a woman who was bitten on the elbow by a gator while she was “paddling” at Tiger Creek Preserve, in central Florida.
The woman was taken to a hospital to be treated, but officials did not specify the severity of her injuries.
Coast Guard Rescues Man from Capsized Boat
3/4/25 – Homestead, FL
Coast Guard crews rescued a man from a sinking boat on 4 March, according to a social media post.
According to the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Southeast account on X (@USCGSoutheast), a wave caused the man's boat to capsize near the Black Point Marina, in South Florida. A photo posted by the Coast Guard showed the man sitting on a piece of his boat.
The USCG crew was able to bring him to shore with no injuries or pollution concerns. Salvage efforts for the boat were being coordinated.
In its social media post, the Coast Guard reminded all seafarers to wear life jackets.
Officer Saves Boaters' Lives in Tennessee River
3/3/25 – Knoxville, TN
Two Tennessee boaters, Tony Copeland and Mark Hudspeth, will never forget their day on the Little River in the state’s Blount County.
The two friends decided to go fishing when they realized they were getting a little too close to the Rockford Dam. “We were dead in the water. We were sitting there staring at a wall of water,” Copeland said. The friends tried everything to get away from the dam, but more water started filling their boat. They called for help and started praying for someone to come save them.
The person who came was Officer Mike Raleigh of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). “Once I came up on scene and saw the boat on the dam and two guys in the boat, I just slowed down and tried to do the best I could. It’s not something were really trained in, swift water rescue,” Raleigh said.
Boaters Stuck in Dam’s Recirculation Current
Copeland and Hudspeth were unable to get their boat out of the dam because the boat lost power and the motor wouldn’t crank. Raleigh did what he could to get the men away from the dangerous low-head dam.
“You have a boat like these guys the other day that gets too close to that current, that current starts grabbing them and pulls them into the dam,” Officer Raleigh said. He was able to get the men’s boat away from the dam and get them to a safe location.
Two Injured in Gas Explosion on Sailboat
3/6/25 – Martin Co., FL
First responders in Martin County, Florida launched an investigation into an explosion on a boat.
According to Martin County Fire Rescue, emergency crews responded to a boat explosion just after 9 a.m. on 9 March. Fire rescue noted that according to an initial report, the blast occurred when a person on board attempted to ignite a propane coffee maker, causing significant damage to the boat.
Two individuals were transported to St. Mary’s Medical Center, one by air with serious burn injuries and another by ground with non-life-threatening injuries.
Hazardous materials teams responded to the incident and secured the propane gas on board. The incident was being investigated by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office.
Six Rescued After Multiple Sailboats Capsize
3/5/25 – San Francisco, CA
Six people were pulled from the water after three sailing dinghies tipped over at Marina Green, on California’s San Francisco Bay, although none of the individuals rescued required medical attention, fire officials confirmed on 5 March.
Authorities provided details on the rescue in a social media post, stating that units of the San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD) responded to the incident at around 5:35 p.m. Authorities said two personal watercraft (PWC) and a SFFD rescue boat entered the water to provide assistance.
The San Francisco Police Department also sent a rescue boat. According to the fire department, six people were safely rescued and placed on boats to be returned to the harbor.
None of the rescued parties required medical attention.
Boat Deemed Total Loss After Dock Fire
3/6/25 – Norfolk, VA
A 36-foot boat docked in the East Beach area of Norfolk, Virginia, caught fire on the night of 6 March and was allowed to sink.
Around 8:38 p.m., Norfolk Fire-Rescue was called to a report of a commercial fire, and later dispatch was told the fire involved a docked boat, according to a statement from Battalion Chief Stacy A. Himes.
When fire units arrived on scene, they found a vessel docked at a pier with a “moderate” amount of fire on the boat. Water and foam were used to control the fire, but the vessel was ultimately deemed a total loss, according to Himes. The decision to allow the boat to sink was made in coordination with the Coast Guard.
No other boats had fire damage, Himes said, and there were no injuries reported. Fire-Rescue personnel, as well as the Coast Guard and the Environmental Protection Agency were working to “mitigate” any environmental hazards, Himes said, while Fire Marshals were investigating.
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