Accidents of the Week - May 16, 2026

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Three Boats Destroyed in Intense Fire

5/1/26 – Bokeelia, FL

Three boats caught fire near Jug Creek in Bokeelia, on Florida’s Pine Island, leaving charred vessels blocked off as investigators worked to determine what sparked the blaze.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the fire destroyed all three boats. Neighbors told local reporters that they heard sirens and went to see what was happening. The fire spread quickly between the boats.

"We went up to the tip of Jug Creek Marina, and that was when we saw the boats on fire and an awful lot of black smoke," said Georgia Shultz, a resident. Shultz said their first fear was whether anyone was inside.

Foam Finally Stops the Spread

Fire crews from Useppa and Pine Island Fire and Rescue said it was still unknown whether anyone was on board at the time. "Nobody has come to us as witnesses saying that they saw anybody on the boats," said Scott Adema, captain of the Pine Island Fire Department.

Fire Chief Mark Mascarelli of Useppa said it took more than water to put the fire out. Crews used copious amounts of water and then switched to foam, which helps extinguish fires better, but they ran out quickly.

"The good thing is, the boats are secure in a lagoon corner of the mangroves there," Mascarelli added. With the boats burned and still in the water, Mascarelli said a salvage company would need to remove them. "It could be up to a couple days before a salvage company can get out here and get these boats out," the fire chief declared.

FWC said the boats were believed to have been unoccupied and no injuries had been reported. The agency said the investigation would determine whether this was a boat accident or a fire.
 

1 Dead After Boat Overturns on Montana River

4/27/26 – Missoula, MT

One person was dead after a multi-agency rescue effort unfolded on the evening of 27 April after 911 dispatch received a report of a boat accident on the Clark Fork River near Clinton, Montana.

A boat with multiple occupants overturned in cold, fast-moving water, prompting a response involving more than 25 personnel. Agencies assisting included the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, Missoula County Search and Rescue, Clinton Fire, Missoula Rural Fire District, Missoula Emergency Services Inc., and LifeFlight Network.

One occupant was unable to make it to shore and was swept downstream. The individual was later located using aerial resources. First responders on scene provided advanced medical care, but despite efforts, the person did not survive.
 

Kayaker Dies After Rescue Near Potomac’s Great Falls

5/3/26 – Montgomery Co., MD

Three people were rescued from the Potomac River near Great Falls on the afternoon of 3 May after becoming separated from their kayaks, but one of them later died.

According to the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, crews were dispatched around 2 p.m. for reports of multiple people in the water, including someone who was unconscious.

Officials said the group became separated from their kayaks near the Great Falls area and ended up along the Virginia shoreline. All three people were able to make it out of the water, but one kayaker was found in medical distress and in a life-threatening condition.

Rescue crews treated the patient on the Virginia side before transferring them by boat to a Maryland EMS staging area for further care. The incident remained under investigation.
 

2 Injured After Jet Ski, Boat Collide  

5/2/26 – Bonita Springs, FL

Two people were injured after a boat and a personal watercraft (PWC) collided south of Hickory Pass in Bonita Springs, Florida.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), they and the Lee County Sheriff's Office responded to the incident. FWC said a 31-foot vessel with four occupants on board and a personal watercraft with two occupants aboard were traveling just south of Big Hickory Pass when a collision occurred.

‘Boats and Jet Skis Don't Have Brakes’

“A lot of people got to understand that boats and jet skis don't have brakes. So, you have to come out of the throttle fast enough for you to make the proper decision, and where you need to evade,” said Jared Hunt, who boats off Little Hickory Beach Park.

The operator and passenger of the PWC were injured and transported to a hospital. The Bonita Springs Fire Control District told local reporters that one of the patients, a 60-year-old woman, suffered traumatic injuries.

FWC said this was still an active investigation and that updates would be provided.
 

3 Rescued After Kayaks Capsize on Wisconsin River

4/26/26 - Manitowoc Rapids, WI

A trio was rescued after their kayaks capsized in Wisconsin’s Manitowoc River on 26 April.

At 6 p.m., crews were dispatched for a water rescue for three capsized kayakers stuck on an island in the Whitewater Acres subdivision in the township of Manitowoc Rapids. None were injured, but needed assistance getting back to shore.

Water conditions in the area of the river posed challenges for rescuers. "The fast-moving water required careful consideration of the complex rescue," a news release stated. "Ropes [and] anchor points were required to make the rescue a success."

By 7:22 p.m., all rescuers and kayakers were back on shore.
 

Boater, 82, Dies in Lake Crash with Buoy

4/27/26 – Knoxville, TN

An 82-year-old Knoxville man died in a boating crash on Tennessee’s Melton Hill Lake on 27 April after his fishing boat hit a buoy.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) investigated the daytime crash and said nearby boaters attempted to rescue Arch Martin. They pulled him ashore at Melton Hill Park in Knox County after he was ejected and provided lifesaving care until emergency medical workers arrived.

Martin was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, where he died, the TWRA said in a news release.
 

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