Accidents of the Week - November 29, 2025
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.
Two Injured when Boat Hits Channel Marker
11/16/25 – Plantation Key, FL
Two boaters were injured when their boat hit a channel marker in the Florida Keys, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
A Good Samaritan rescued the boaters after the boat hit the marker in Cowpens Cut, west of Plantation Key. The boat was heavily damaged and the boaters were taken to a local hospital.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was investigating the incident.
Man Identified as Missing Boater on Alabama River
11/17/25 – Hale Co., AL
Authorities were searching for a missing boater in the Lock 8 area near Akron, Alabama.
The man had been missing since 17 November, according to Russell Weeden, director of the Hale County Emergency Management Agency. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency identified the missing man as 47-year-old Larry James of Helena.
GPS Data Showed Boat Traveling in Circles
The boater’s vessel was discovered with his wallet and cellphone still inside, raising concerns for his safety. Officials used GPS data to track the boat’s movements, which reportedly showed it traveling in circles.
A dive team was actively searching the waters for the missing individual. Officials urged anyone in the area to remain cautious and report any information that could assist in the search.
36-Foot Boat Hits Rocks; Two Boaters Uninjured
11/19/25 – Avenue, MD
Two people escaped injury on the morning of 19 November after a 36-foot boat reportedly struck rocks near St. Catherine’s Island, Maryland, on the Potomac River.
The U.S. Coast Guard advised St. Mary’s County dispatchers at about 7:34 a.m. that a vessel had run up on rocks off St. Catherine’s Island and was taking on water with two people on board.
Fire and rescue units were sent to the area off the dead end of Ricky Drive and Joyce Street, near the island’s western side. Seventh District Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) Boat 5 located the vessel on the Potomac River side of St. Catherine’s Island a short time later.
The occupants told responders they were not taking on water, did not have a medical emergency and were otherwise uninjured. Rescuers provided the boaters with contact information for a towing service, and no transports were reported.
Two Dead After Boat Turnover
11/19/25 – Meridian, MS
Two men were left dead by a boat turnover on a lake in Toomsuba, Mississippi, on 19 November.
Authorities said 64-year-old Earl McLelland and 65-year-old Judge Ondray Harris Sr. died as a result of that accident. The call went out at about 11 a.m. One of three people on the boat was quickly found, and emergency crews continued searching for the remaining men as of 1 p.m.
The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office, Lauderdale County Emergency Management, Metro Ambulance, Meridian Fire Department and the Toomsuba Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) responded to the call, and a dive team reportedly assisted with the search.
The incident was under investigation.
Fire Department Assists in Rescue of Missing Boater
11/19/25 – Ocean City, MD
The Ocean City Fire Department, in Maryland, helped rescue a missing boater on November 19th after he was reported overdue south of the South Point boat ramp.
Fire Boat 1, working with multiple agencies including Maryland Natural Resources Police, Maryland State Police Aviation, local fire companies, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the National Park Service, located the boater using its FLIR camera and advanced navigation system. Crews guided another vessel to reach him, and he was safely brought to shore.
Fire Department Highlights Safe-Boating Practices
Deputy Chief Derrick Simpson praised the teamwork and capabilities that made the rescue possible. The department also reminded boaters to follow safe-boating practices, including filing a float plan, setting a return time, wearing life jackets, and carrying proper communication equipment.
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