Accidents of the Week - March 23, 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.
Wave Destroys Windshield; Ferry, Coast Guard Rescue Boaters
3/9/24 – Decatur Island, WA
The Washington State Ferry (WSF) Samish crew, along with the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Sector Puget Sound, acted quickly to rescue boaters aboard a sinking cabin cruiser. The evacuation happened on 9 March at around 12:50 p.m., according to a Facebook post by the USCG Sector Puget Sound
The USCG Sector Puget Sound got a mayday call from a 37-foot cabin cruiser. Those onboard said the cruiser was “taking on water” near Decatur Island. Yet the boaters could barely send out their GPS position before communications were lost, due to their radio shorting out.
Ferry Maneuvered to Shield Boat from Wind, High Seas
The USCG said it “immediately issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast” and sent several USCG vessels. It also sent a helicopter from the Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles. The WSF Samish crew responded to the broadcast and launched their rescue boat to help. The Samish crew rescued four people from the cruiser and “maneuvered the ferry to shield them from the heavy wind and seas,” according to the Facebook post.
“A wave crashed over the bow, destroying the windshield and causing water to enter the cabin,” responders told the USCG Sector Puget Sound. A USCG Station Bellingham Response Boat-Medium (RB-M) arrived at the scene and successfully rescued the two remaining passengers. Crews also picked up their two dogs Buster and Belle. RB-M crewmembers said they drove the cabin cruiser to safe harbor in Anacortes.
Coast Guard Says VHF Call ‘Critical’ for Rescue
Meanwhile, the WSF Samish crew continued to shield the wind. The WSF Samish and RB-M crews took the boaters to emergency medical service in Anacortes, where they were evaluated for injuries, according to the Facebook post.
“The quick response and excellent seamanship exhibited by Washington State Ferries highlights the incredible partnerships we have in the Puget Sound,” said a Command Duty Officer at Sector Puget Sound, Lt. Ryan Sexton. “The mariner’s use of a VHF radio for their distress call was critical to our ability to quickly locate them and coordinate an effective response,” Sexton added.
USCG Sector Puget Sound said the cruiser was no longer taking on water and posed no threat of pollution.
Teen Injured when Boat Goes Under Palm City Bridge
3/9/24 – Martin Co., FL
A teen was taken by helicopter to a nearby hospital in serious condition after she was injured in a boating accident on the night of 9 March, according to Martin County Fire Rescue.
At 7:15 p.m., the agency responded to a report of an injured boater at Leighton Park, in Palm City, Florida. Firefighters and EMS personnel assisted the teen, who reportedly was hurt after the boat she was riding in attempted to go under the Palm City Bridge, according to Martin County Fire Rescue.
A Life Star critical care helicopter was deployed and she was taken to a nearby hospital, according to a post on X.
Boat Capsizes on Alabama River, Boaters Stranded
3/10/24 – Clayhatchee, AL
Two boaters were rescued from the Choctawhatchee River early morning on 10 March after their boat capsized, according to the Sheriff’s Office in Dale County, Alabama.
The two unidentified men entered the river at the Clayhatchee Boat Ramp the previous evening, but their families said they lost contact with them a few hours later and they did not return. The Dale County Sheriff’s rescue boats and WASP began their search shortly after 11:00 p.m.
Rescue teams located the two men in the water about a mile north of the Highway 92 bridge around 1:00 a.m. on Sunday 10 March. The men were loaded on the rescue boat and returned to the ramp, where they were treated for potential injuries. They were then reunited with their families.
The Dale County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) said the men’s boat had capsized due to the river conditions and sunk, leaving them trapped in the water. The DCSO, Clayhatchee Police, Alabama Game and Fish and Daleville Rescue helped rescue the boaters.
Man Bitten by Crocodile After Boat Capsizes in Everglades National Park
3/10/24 – Miami, FL
A boater was airlifted to the hospital after he was reportedly bitten by a crocodile in Everglades National Park.
According to the National Park Service, on 10 March the 68-year-old man capsized his sailboat in the basin of the Flamingo Marina just before 5 p.m. As he was attempting to swim to shore with his boat, he was observed going underwater. A report was called in and park rangers in the area treated him for a laceration on his leg. The man was then airlifted to the Jackson South Medical Center, where he was listed as stable.
"Rangers and park biologists are continuing to investigate the incident and monitor the suspected crocodile, which is easily identifiable," according to a statement from the National Park Service. Closely resembling the American alligator, the American crocodile is a federally threatened species.
"The National Park Service is coordinating closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to evaluate the situation and follow the American Crocodile-Human Interaction Response Plan," according to the statement.
Woman with ‘Improperly Secured’ PFD Drowns in Arizona Lake
3/11/24 - Mohave Co., AZ
An improperly secured life jacket led to a California woman's drowning and death on 10 March in Arizona’s Lake Havasu, officials said.
The Mohave County Sheriff's Office said that at 2 p.m., the office's Division of Boating Safety responded to an area near the Islander Resort about a potential drowning. Officials say the team learned on scene that a woman later identified as Cynthia Marin, a 49-year-old from La Mesa, California, had jumped off of a boat she was on to swim in the lake.
However, her life jacket was “improperly secured” and came off soon after she jumped in. She then began to panic before being submerged below the water, officials said.
The Sheriff's Office said rescue divers from the recovery team and a Careflight helicopter were deployed in the immediate area, but they were unable to find the victim quickly. Later in the search, side scan solar technology located Marin and divers retrieved her.
Officials said the investigation into her death was still ongoing.
Two Die in Boating Accident in California’s Mokelumne River
3/9/24 – San Joaquin Co., CA
Two people died in a boating incident in the Mokelumne River in San Joaquin County, California, authorities said on the night of 9 March.
The San Joaquin Sheriff’s Office said it was notified of the incident at around 5 p.m. The scene was in the Mokelumne River just north of the Tower Park Marina in the Terminous community.
Edward Platt was at the marina with his dog when he saw two police boats zoom by followed by a helicopter. “We thought it was a crime right away like they were looking for someone or it was a boating accident,” Platt said.
Three people were in the water, a minor and two adults, the sheriff’s office said. The minor was able to make it out safely. One of the adults was pulled from the water with severe injuries and was later pronounced dead. The other adult was later found dead in the water.
The deceased were identified as 41-year-old Elk Grove resident Quang Lu and 21-year-old Oakland resident Navin Lu.
Indian National Killed in PWC Collision with Teen Off Key West
3/9/24 – Key West, FL
A man visiting South Florida died after two personal watercrafts collided with each other off Key West, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
A 14-year-old boy from Boca Raton was operating the other personal watercraft, according to an FWC incident report. According to the incident report, the crash happened just after 12:30 p.m. on 9 March at Fury Playground, just north of Wisteria Island.
Authorities identified the victim as Venkataramana Pittala, of Kazipet, Telangana, India. According to a GoFundMe page, the 27-year-old was a graduate student at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, set to receive his degree in May.
The incident report listed the 14-year-old as uninjured and said that arrests in the case were “pending.” According to FWC, 14 is the minimum age to operate a personal watercraft in Florida. The report did not state whether the authorities had determined fault. Both personal watercrafts were rented, the report stated.