Accidents of the Week – March 18, 2023
18 March, 2023
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.
Former Football Star Found Deceased in Sol Duc River
3/5/23 – Clallam Co., WA
A fisherman and former University of Washington football star was found dead on the morning of 5 March on the banks of the Sol Duc River, according to the Clallam County
Sheriff’s Office. The man was identified as Joseph D. Jarzynka, 45, of Tacoma, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Deputies were dispatched about 9:57 a.m. The reporting party said Jarzynka was obviously deceased and was wearing a tan fishing vest. Deputies responded with medics, and a swift water rescue team was deployed.
Later on, they located a single-person pontoon boat stuck in a log jam about a mile from where Jarzynka was located.
Jarzynka reportedly went to Forks to go fishing and brought with him a single-person pontoon boat, according to the Sheriff’s Office, which contacted his family. The Clallam County coroner was notified, and an autopsy was pending.
2 People Rescued After Canoe Capsized in Cahaba River
3/4/23 – Bibb Co., AL
Two people were reported safe after being rescued from the Cahaba River on 4 March. The Brierfield Fire Department said the people were canoeing when their boat capsized, leaving them in the water.
The West Blocton Fire Department Calera Swift Water Rescue, AmServ, West Blocton Police, the Bibb County Sheriff's Department, and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) all responded to assist.
The people were not hurt, but were cold when they were pulled out of the river. The fire department also added special thanks to a local citizen who helped in the rescue with a hovercraft.
Ohio Kayaker Found Dead By Search Teams
3/5/23 – Akron, OH
A 70-year-old man who went missing while kayaking near Oxbow on 5 March was found dead the following day by search and rescue teams using drones and other search tools, confirmed Lt. Tim Morrison with Akron Fire.
Search teams from multiple departments in the area had continued to search for Doug Maher on 6 March, Morrison said.
Using multiple drones at different heights, teams were able to pinpoint an object in the river that looked out of place. They then sent a search team out to that location, and a ranger was able to find Maher's body and positively identify him.
The search was made easier on 6 March, because the river was about 4 feet lower than it had been the previous day, Morrison explained. Drone technology was crucial in the search, which could have taken days without it, he added.
Police were called to the McDonald's in the 1800 block of Merriman Road around 9 p.m. on 5 March after Maher did not return from kayaking. Authorities said Maher was supposed to meet with his family that afternoon.
Two Men Found Dead After Inflatable Kayak Capsizes
3/5/23 – Maricopa Co., AZ
Two men drowned in Lake Pleasant, Arizona, on 5 March. Around 7:45 p.m., the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) received 911 calls from witnesses who reported hearing distressed swimmers in the water near the Roadrunner Campsite. The callers could not see the swimmers but heard yelling and calls for help, officials said.
MCSO and crews with Peoria Fire Department responded to the call and found an inflatable capsized kayak with nobody in it. Crews began searching the waters and shoreline and found two different shoes floating in the water. Deputies utilized air, water, and land resources but did not find the men.
Kayakers not using PFDs
The following day, crews continued an extensive search of the water. On the night of 6 March, the body of one of the men was located 55 feet underwater. He was identified by MCSO as 28-year-old Christopher Govoni. A short time later, the body of the second kayaker was located 100 feet from Govoni. He was identified by MCSO as 24-year-old Rogelio Ortiz.
Officials say neither kayaker was wearing a life vest. Detectives inspected the 10-foot inflatable kayak and found no damage. It's unknown what caused the two men to go underwater. Investigators believe they tried swimming to shore after they capsized and were about 600 feet away from the shore when they drowned.
Body of Teenage Boy Who Disappeared While Jet Skiing Found in North Carolina Lake
3/7/23 – Chatham Co., NC
The body of a teenager who went missing while jet-skiing was recovered on 9 March near the Farrington Point boat ramp at Jordan Lake, North Carolina, local authorities said.
The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies had been searching for the 15-year-old boy since 7 March, when his watercraft started having mechanical problems and he disappeared around 8 p.m.
The teen was identified by the pastor of his family’s church as Roberto Enrique Deleto. “The loss of a loved one is always difficult,” Sheriff Mike Roberson said in a news release. “And while this isn’t the outcome we had hoped for when we began our search Tuesday evening, we hope this provides the young man’s family with closure and some peace.”
Deleto, who went by Rob, was out on the water with a friend, local news reported, but when he started having mechanical problems, the friend went to get help. According to reports, Deleto was missing when the friend returned.
Rescue crews found his watercraft first, and found a life vest near the watercraft. Around 11:30 a.m. on 9 March, a Chatham Fire Rescue truck arrived at Farrington Pointe and blocked the boat ramp. Ambulances left the scene shortly afterward. A life vest was not recovered from Deleto, according to the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office.
French Visitor in Serious Condition After Kayak Tips Over Off Mokulua Islands
3/7/23 – Honolulu, HI
A 30-year-old woman from France was seriously injured after nearly drowning off Mokulua Islands on the evening of 7 March, Honolulu Ocean Safety said. It happened just before 6 p.m. off the backside of the Mokulua Islands.
Not wearing PFD
Officials said the woman was attempting to kayak back to shore from the island in high winds when her kayak tipped over. She was not wearing a life-jacket. A surfer tried to save the woman but he also ended up needing to be rescued.
Emergency Medical Services said the woman suffered from extreme exhaustion, multiple lacerations and swallowed water. Paramedics administered advanced life support and transported her to an emergency room in serious condition. The 26-year-old man also suffered multiple lacerations but declined transport to a hospital.
Ocean Safety asked the public to remain vigilant and to check weather conditions before going out into the ocean. Also, to always carry a cellphone and never hesitate to call 911 upon seeing anyone in trouble in the water.
U.S. Coast Guard Saves Family From Sinking Boat, Reminds Boaters to Check Weather Conditions
3/3/23 – St Petersburg, FL
Windy conditions ended with a Coast Guard rescue of a family from a sinking vessel near St. Petersburg, Florida. The Coast Guard was dispatched around 11 a.m. on 3 March, near the Skyway Bridge, in Tampa Bay.
Upon arrival, rescue crews encountered three adults and one child clinging to the hull of the vessel that ended up capsizing while the rescue boat was en route. “All victims were rescued and accounted for with the help of Eckerd SAR (Search and Rescue). We’d like to remind boaters to check the weather before going out,” read a post from the Coast Guard.
Coast Guard Rescues Boater 70 miles South of Mobile, Alabama
3/3/23 – Mobile, AL
The Coast Guard rescued a boater on Friday, 3 March after their vessel began to take on water 70 miles south of Mobile, Alabama.
Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a call from an offshore oil rig early Friday morning of a 40-foot sailing vessel taking on water with one person aboard south of Mobile.
Sector New Orleans notified Coast Guard Sector Mobile, which coordinated the launch of Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew to assist.
The aircrew arrived on scene, hoisted the boater and transported them to awaiting emergency medical services personnel at Lakefront Airport in New Orleans. The boater was reported to be in stable condition.