Accidents of the Week - November 22, 2025
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Sailboat Runs Aground on Florida Beach
11/6/25 – Flagler Beach, FL
A man was found stranded in a sailboat on Florida’s Flagler Beach on the evening of 6 November, with fire officials reporting that the man had fallen asleep.
The Flagler Beach Fire Department, Flagler Beach Police Department and Flagler County Fire Rescue responded around 9:20 p.m. to an area north of the pier and found a man stranded. The man was not injured, authorities said, while beachgoers and rescue crews were left wondering what had happened.
The owner told local reporters he was on his way to the Keys when his boat, called "Hideaway," started taking on water. He intentionally "beached" the boat on the shoreline, he said.
Captain ‘Fell Asleep at the Helm’: Fire Chief
Nevertheless, Flalger Beach Fire Chief Stephen Cox confirmed that the ship's captain had fallen asleep. He "fell asleep at the helm and was awoken by a sudden shake in the boat," Cox said.
The fire chief said the man told officials he had run aground – meaning the ship was no longer in deep enough water and was stuck on the bottom. The boat would most likely be towed to the Ponce Inlet area during high tide, Cox said.
50-Foot Sailboat Burns Behind Florida Home
11/7/25 – Deerfield Beach, FL
A 50-foot sailboat caught fire in the early hours of 7 November in Deerfield Beach, Florida.
The Broward Sheriff's Fire Rescue said it responded to the vessel fully involved in flames at around 3 a.m. at the dock located behind 1630 Southeast 5th Court, with video captured by an eyewitness showing an attempt to put out the flames before the arrival of first responders by spraying them with a hose, but they were forced to step back due to the heat.
"It's too hot," said the person tackling the blaze. "Oh my God it's burning my face." Then, to someone off camera, he added: "Be careful, it could explode, let's move back... oh my God, where's the fire department?"
About 50 firefighters and a fire boat from Port Everglades responded to the scene and were able to extinguish the flames.
No injuries were reported, but authorities said "some fuel was unrecoverable and entered the waterway due to breach of the fuel tank from the fire."
One Dead, One Injured After Boat Capsizes
11/8/25 – Suffolk Co., NY
A man died after a boat capsized at approximately 4:10 p.m. on 8 November, according to police in Suffolk County, New York.
Christopher Sicignano, 68, was operating a boat when it capsized entering the Fire Island Inlet in rough water. Sicignano and his passenger, 70-year-old David Johnson, were thrown into the water and were not wearing life jackets.
Police said a passing boater reported the incident. Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau officers and the United States Coast Guard responded.
Sicignano was taken to the Robert Moses State Park Boat Basin then transported to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center, where he was treated and released. Johnson was taken by the Coast Guard to their station in Babylon. He was then transported to Good Samaritan Hospital and pronounced dead.
Two Rescued After Sailboat Caught in Surf
11/7/25 – Oceanside, CA
Two people were safe after a rescue unfolded on the evening of 7 November just off Harbor Beach in Oceanside, California, where a 38-foot sailboat was caught in heavy surf while attempting to enter the harbor.
According to the Oceanside Fire Department, the incident occurred when the sailboat encountered large, breaking waves near the harbor entrance. The powerful surf quickly pushed the vessel into the shallow surf zone directly in front of Harbor Beach, putting both occupants in immediate danger.
Rescue Swimmers Braved Rough Water to Aid Boaters
Responding units from the Oceanside Fire Department and Oceanside Lifeguards launched a coordinated rescue effort. Two rescue swimmers — one from a responding fire engine and another from the department’s Marine Safety Unit — entered the rough water to reach the stranded boaters.
Despite challenging surf conditions, both victims were successfully brought to shore without injury. Paramedics evaluated them on scene, and both individuals were released without the need for hospital transport.
Dad’s Body Found After Trying to Save Son, Friend
11/9/25 – San Jacinto Co., TX
The body of a man who jumped into a Texas river to rescue his son and his son's friend after their kayak overturned has been found.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department confirmed that William Poff, 53, of Camilla, Texas, was found deceased and was recovered from the Trinity River on 12 November. The two boys also died. “Our thoughts are with Mr. Poff’s family and the families of the two boys during this difficult time,” the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said in a statement.
In a previous news release, the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office said officers responded to the Camilla boat ramp on the evening of 9 November, following a report of an overturned kayak in the Trinity River.
“Witnesses reported that two juveniles were riding a kayak when choppy river conditions caused it to overturn,” the sheriff’s office wrote. “The father entered the water in an attempt to rescue his son and his son’s friend but did not resurface.”
Man Stranded on Island After Boat Drifts Away
11/11/25 – Bethlehem, PA
A boating trip on the Lehigh River in Pennsylvania turned into a dramatic island rescue on the afternoon of 11 November, when police said the vessel drifted away and the boater became stranded.
Bethlehem Township Police Cpl. Patrick Brehm told local reporters that the incident began at 3:45 p.m., when emergency workers were called to the township’s Hope Boat Launch. A caller reported being separated from his boat in the Lehigh River.
Good Samaritans Also Required Assistance
The caller attempted unsuccessfully to swim after the vessel and swam to an island in the river instead, Brehm said. The man needed to be rescued off the island, in the vicinity of Farmersville Road at Wilson Avenue, he said.
Bethlehem Township Volunteer Fire Company and Nancy Run Fire Company crews rescued the man. The crews were already at the scene when police arrived, Brehm said. The man’s boat was later recovered from the river.
Additionally, a pair of Good Samaritans who attempted to aid the victim also needed assistance in the river, Brehm said. There were no reported injuries in the incident.
Firefighters Tackle Boat Blaze on Florida’s Ortega River
11/12/25 – Jacksonville, FL
The Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department responded to a boat fire on the afternoon of 12 November.
The fire put a huge plume of smoke in the air, where the boat caught fire in the Ortega River near the Port 32 Marina.
Two fire rescue marine boats were on the scene to put out the flames and remove debris. No injuries were reported.
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