Accidents of the Week - October 5, 2024
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Man, Dog Rescued from Disabled Boat as Hurricane Approaches
9/26/24 – Lee Co., FL
The US Coast Guard rescued a man and his dog as Hurricane Helene fast approached them, when his boat became disabled and started taking on water 25 miles out to sea, officials said.
The sailor and his dog were on a 36-foot sailboat on 26 September when the boat started taking on water, leaving the man and his canine stranded in the ocean approximately 25 miles off of Sanibel Island, Florida, with no help or support nearby, according to a statement from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater released early morning on 27 September.
“Coast Guard crews responded to the boater’s distress call and rushed to the man’s location, approximately 25 miles offshore from Sanibel Island near Fort Myers,” authorities said. “A successful rescue attempt was made and the unidentified sailor and his dog were saved and brought back to land.”
Officials did not disclose why the man was out to sea while small craft advisories and hurricane warnings had already been issued in the area, as Hurricane Helene was expected to make landfall.
Coast Guard Assists 4 After Vessel Takes on Water
9/24/24 – Charleston, SC
U.S. Coast Guard crews helped four people on 24 September after their boat began taking on water.
The issue with the 36-foot vessel happened about 30 miles off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina. “The boat crew safely escorted the vessel to a marina in Rockville while assisting with dewatering efforts,” officials said.
Boaters Sent Emergency Call on VHF Channel 16
Officials said the boat’s operator had used VHF channel 16 to effectively communicate their emergency to U.S. Coast Guard Sector Charleston watchstanders, who quickly dispatched rescue crews to their location.
Fire Crews Respond to Boat in Distress with 9 on Board
9/24/24 – East Haven, CT
A boat in distress prompted a response on 24 September from the Fire Department in East Haven, Connecticut, according to the local fire chief.
The incident happened in the area near 64 Cosey Beach Ave. in East Haven. Fire Chief Matthew Marcarelli said that nine occupants were on board and they were all wearing life jackets.
5 Rescued from Boat Stranded off San Francisco Beach
9/29/24 – San Francisco, CA
Five people who were stranded in a boat off San Francisco's Ocean Beach on 29 September are now safe, authorities said.
The San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD) received a call at about 2 p.m. about a boat in distress near the city’s Great Highway and Quintara Street. SFFD rescue swimmers, National Park Service lifeguards, and the U.S. Coast Guard used jet skis to transfer the people to a Coast Guard boat.
Boaters in ‘Precarious Position’ Amid Breaking Waves
"We haven't determined the cause of why the boat was there. It was inoperable is all we know at this time. They were able to drop their anchor and stay stationary. But, they were in a little precarious position by being in the breaks, so they were getting pushed around quite a bit," said SFFD Lt. Mariano Elias.
The victims were taken to the Coast Guard base in Marin. Nobody was injured.
Captain Missing, 6 Rescued After Boat Capsizes
9/25/24 – Hood River, OR
One person was missing after a fishing guide boat capsized on 25 September on the Columbia River, in Oregon.
At about 11:30 a.m., the County Sheriff’s Office in Hood River, Oregon, and multiple other law enforcement agencies responded to the call of a capsized boat in the Columbia River near the mouth of the White Salmon River.
Six people who were aboard the boat were pulled from the water and taken to shore. Two of the people rescued were taken to the hospital. The captain of the ship, the only other person on board, was missing, according to Hood River Police. The search was set to continue the following day with additional resources.
The investigation found that the boat was a 24′ North River fishing boat that was last seen in the area of the green navigation buoy near the White Salmon inlet.
The names of the people involved were not released by the sheriff’s office out of respect for the families involved. The search and investigation were ongoing.
Coast Guard Rescues 2 After Vessel Allides with Jetty
9/25/24 – Charleston, SC
A Coast Guard Station Charleston boat crew rescued two people on 25 September, after their vessel allided with the Charleston jetties at the entrance to the harbor in Charleston, South Carolina.
The Coast Guard boat crew arrived on scene, removed the two occupants from the vessel and transported them to Charleston’s Ripley Point. No injuries were reported.
Coast Guard Boat, Helicopter Crews Dispatched to Assist
At 9:11 p.m., Charleston County Dispatch reported to Coast Guard Sector Charleston that two people needed assistance after their 24-foot vessel allided with the Charleston jetties. Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast, directed the launch of a Station Charleston boat crew and a Coast Guard Air Station Savannah helicopter crew from Charleston Executive Airport to assist.
A Charleston Harbor Pilot crew also responded to the scene and was able to account for both occupants of the vessel.
Two Injured in Rhode Island Boating Accident
9/29/24 – North Kingston, RI
Two men were injured following a boating accident in the water in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, on the morning of 29 September.
According to the R.I. Department of Environmental Management (DEM), just after 9 a.m., Rhode Island Environmental Police and the Narragansett Marine Taskforce received a report that two boats had collided close to Allen Harbor in North Kingstown.
Boaters Suffered ‘Moderate to Serious’ Injuries
DEM said two men, one 65 and the other 69 years old, were taken to Rhode Island Hospital to be treated for their injuries. North Kingstown’s fire chief said their injuries were “moderate to serious.”
DEM added that one boat was 45-feet long and the other was 18-feet long. An investigation into what caused the accident was underway.
Overturned Kayaker Found Dead in Arizona Lake
9/27/24 – Williams, AZ
Authorities recovered a body from Arizona’s Dogtown Lake on the morning of 28 September, after a man went missing when his kayak capsized early the previous day.
The man was identified as 58-year-old Anthony Villarreal from Corvallis, Montana, according to a news release from the Police Department in Williams, Arizona. The Maricopa County Search and Rescue Dive Team recovered Villarreal's body, according to Williams police.
"Due to the complexity of the search, specialized resources, including a dive team and underwater robotics from the Maricopa County Search and Rescue were deployed," read the news release.
Kayaker Disappeared Despite Witnesses’ ‘Heroic Efforts’
On 27 September at about 11 a.m., Williams police responded to a distress call reporting a kayaker who had capsized on Dogtown Lake. Eyewitnesses at the scene said a sudden gust of wind may have caused Villarreal's kayak to flip over, according to police in the news release.
Police added that despite "heroic efforts" from eyewitnesses who swam to his aid, Villarreal disappeared underwater and wasn't found until the following morning.