Accidents of the Week - October 4, 2025
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Boater Rescued from Sinking Vessel Near Jupiter Inlet
9/15/25 – Jupiter, FL
A man was rescued from a sinking boat on 15 September.
According to Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue, at around 12:30 p.m., a boat began to capsize in Florida’s Jupiter Inlet about 200 yards from shore. There was one person on board who needed rescuing.
Two Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue lifeguards saw the capsized vessel and responded to the scene on rescue boards, where they saved the distressed boater by securing him into a rescue tube and onto a rescue board until another boat arrived to render aid.
Once the man was on the boat, one of the lifeguards rendered first aid and escorted him to shore, where Palm Beach County Fire Rescue was waiting. PBC Ocean Rescue said the boater only had minor injuries.
LDWF Investigating Death of Boater in Louisiana Lake
9/11/25 - St Martin Parish, LA
A boating death in St. Martin Parish was under investigation by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF).
LDWF reported the body of Scottey Broussard, 47, of Arnaudville, was recovered from Henderson Lake on 11 September. Authorities said Broussard had launched his 21-foot homemade skiff from Cypress Cove Landing around 7:30 p.m. They added another boater found his unmanned vessel near the landing around 8:15 p.m., prompting a search.
Victim on ‘Homemade Skiff’ Not Wearing PDF
Agents discovered Broussard in the water near his boat just after midnight. He was not wearing a personal flotation device.
The LDWF Enforcement Division was leading the investigation and had not yet determined how Broussard ended up in the water.
An obituary described Broussard as “A karaoke super star, fisherman, hunter, and zydeco dancer” with “deep Cajun roots.”
Two Rescued After Boat Capsizes Off Virginia Coast
9/4/25 – Virginia Beach, VA
Two people were rescued after a boat took on water on the evening of 4 September off the coast of Virginia’s Cape Henry.
Units with the Virginia Beach Fire Department (VBFD) were dispatched to a “vessel in distress” around 5:45 p.m. Upon arrival, they found two individuals who had abandoned their boat and were in life rafts.
Capsized Boat Marked for Safety Until Removal
The two individuals were rescued from their life rafts and taken aboard a private boat. They were then brought safely back to shore. There were no injuries reported, and no one was transported for medical needs.
The VBFD and the Coast Guard then marked the vessel that had capsized to ensure other boaters did not run into or hit the vessel until it was removed.
Kayaker Found Dead in Pennsylvania Lake
9/17/25 – Mount Pleasant, PA
A kayaker was found dead in a lake in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.
Emergency crews were called to Acme Lake in Mount Pleasant Township at 1:05 p.m. on 17 September, dispatchers said. Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson declared that David A. Dirado, 67, of Hempfield Township, was recovered from the water and pronounced dead at 5:05 p.m.
Dirado was believed to have fallen out of his boat and into the water, although the exact cause and manner of death was still pending.
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Waterways Conservation and Westmoreland County Park Police aided in the investigation.
Boat Spotted Circling After Operator Fell Overboard
8/30/25 – Cumberland Co., ME
A boat was spotted going in circles on Maine’s Sebago Lake on 29 August with no one at the wheel, fire officials said.
The Sebago Fire Department said it happened right before 2 o’clock near Thompson Point. Crews were able to intercept the boat and bring it safely to shore.
Investigators said the operator had fallen overboard but was picked up by a passing boater and was not hurt.
Man Identified in Tennessee Fatal Boat Accident
9/12/25 – Blount Co., TN
The victim of a fatal boating accident that took place on 12 September on Fort Loudoun Lake was identified as a man from Maryville, Tennessee, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).
A report from the agency said that around 11:18 a.m., TWRA dispatch received a call about a possible drowning near the mouth of George’s Creek.
When wildlife officers responded, the report stated they found a victim, later identified as Terry Alexander, 63, face down in the water with an “unmanned vessel that was circling nearby.” Blount County Rescue Squad was also on scene and recovered Alexander from the water, while TWRA officers were able to gain control over the boat.
Authorities Stress Need for PFDs, Kill-Switch Lanyards
The report said Alexander was transported to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, where he was pronounced deceased. According to the report, this was the 19th boating-related fatality on Tennessee waterways in 2025.
TWRA Public Information Officer Matthew Cameron told local reporters that while the number of fatalities this year was unfortunate, it was not an increase over previous years.
Cameron said that if boaters utilized safety precautions like life vests and kill-switch lanyards, which shut a boat off if its operator goes overboard, fatal accidents could be avoided.
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