Accidents of the Week - October 7, 2023
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.
One Person Killed in Biscayne Bay Boat Crash
9/26/23 – Miami-Dade Co., FL
Three people were hurt in a boat crash in Biscayne Bay, Florida, on the afternoon of 26 September, with one later losing their life, according to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR).
The crash occurred in the waters east of Cutler Bay, and after Miami-Dade police marine officers performed CPR on one of the victims, medics eventually loaded all three victims onto a MDFR boat and they were taken to Black Point Marina, where all three were airlifted to area hospitals.
Authorities say boat lost control at high speed
On 27 September, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) confirmed that one person had died following the boat crash, identified as 42-year-old Michael Garcia, who was the boat’s operator.
Local news reporters spoke to Kenneth Rodriguez, who was returning from a fishing trip when he saw the boat spinning out of control. “We noticed a boat spinning in circles, just doing laps,” he said. “Instantly I thought someone had got thrown overboard.”
According to the FWC, the boat was traveling at a high speed when it lost control and ejected three passengers into the water. Air rescue rushed all three boaters to the hospital, where Garcia died as a result of his injuries. The FWC continued to investigate the circumstances of the fatal crash.
Four People Rescued After Boat Hits Tree, Capsizes
9/24/23 – Bingham Co., ID
Four people were safe and considered fortunate to walk away without injuries, after a boat they were on capsized on the evening of 24 September, when they weren’t wearing life jackets.
The incident happened at 6 p.m., when a 14-foot drift boat collided with some trees just north of the Tilden Bridge on the Snake River in Bingham County, Idaho. Deputy Shawn Humphreys with the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office Marine Patrol explained that the boat capsized and all four occupants ended up in the water.
Authorities: boaters not wearing PFDs lucky to escape unscathed
Three of them were able to climb onto a tree that was in the river, while another remained in the water. “We were able to get there pretty quick, and we got them off the tree they were on in the middle of the river, and there was one guy in the water that we were able to get out,” Humphreys said.
The deputy told local reporters that everyone was cold, but otherwise they were all okay. EMS checked them out at the scene and nobody was taken to the hospital. They were lucky, Humphreys said, since they were not wearing personal flotation devices (PFDs). There were life jackets on the boat, but he reminded all recreational boaters how important it was to wear them.
“If life jackets aren’t worn in a situation, it’s hard to put them on after the incident actually occurs. It’s recommended on the river to wear them because after something happens, it’s too late,” he said.
The boat in this incident was recovered: “We were able to get some air under the boat with a scuba tank and float it back to the surface. We got it back to shore and turned it back over and got all the water out of it,” Humphreys said.
Coast Guard, Seattle Fire Respond to Sinking Vessel
9/26/23 – Seattle, WA
The Seattle Fire Department and the U.S. Coast Guard responded to a sinking vessel on 26 September, just around the point from Golden Gardens in the Puget Sound.
Local resident Jennifer Clark shared images and video of the sinking vessel, which the Seattle Fire Department said was unoccupied at the time. Clark said bystanders saw the boat anchored off Shilshole Marina and towed to a new location off of North Beach before it began to sink.
There was no word on what had caused the boat to take on water, and the authorities were investigating.
Boats Destroyed in Wisconsin Marina Fire
10/2/23 – Kewaunee, WI
Two boats were destroyed in a fire in the Kewaunee Harbor, Wisconsin, on the afternoon of 2 October.
Assistant Fire Chief Jim Kleiman said the two boats were fully engulfed when the Kewaunee Fire Department arrived at the Kewaunee Marina at about 2:15 p.m. Kleiman described the action taken when they arrived at the scene.
Thick billowing black smoke crossing over Highway 42 could be seen from a distance for several minutes, and crews worked for over an hour to extinguish the blazes. A third docked vessel was damaged as well, according to Kleiman.
The cause of the fire was under investigation, and no injuries were reported.
Stranded Boaters Rescued After Drifting Under Florida Bridge
9/24/23 – Tampa, FL
Two people were rescued by deputies in Hillsborough County, Florida, after their boat started taking on water near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge on 24 September.
According to a tweet from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), the agency’s marine unit was called to investigate a report of a boat in distress at 4 a.m. After scouring the darkness for the vessel, deputies followed a flashing light in the distance, and found the boat adrift with two people on board.
The passengers -- one man and one woman -- reported experiencing mechanical problems before the boat started taking on water. “It really was a nightmare today out there,” the female passenger said, according to HCSO body camera video. The boat had been broken down for hours by the time HCSO arrived, they said.
The boat continued to drift, despite putting down an anchor. “Next thing you know, we were under the bridge. We kept hearing cars,” the male passenger said. “And I was like, ‘Oh man, we’re in trouble’.” The boaters said the choppy water made them seasick, but they had no choice but to wait it out.
“I didn’t think it would be this rough,” the male passenger said. “It was supposed to be a calm night, but it wasn’t.” The boaters made it to shore safely, HCSO said. They were not hurt in the incident.
Two Killed in Illinois Fox River Boat Crash
9/30/23 – McHenry, IL
Authorities identified the second person to die after a boat crashed into a home along the Fox River, in McHenry County, Illinois, on the afternoon of 30 September. The McHenry County Coroner's Office said on 3 October that Julie Mertins of McHenry had died from blunt force injuries.
The McHenry Township Fire Protection District, McHenry County Sheriff's Office, and Illinois Conservation Police responded about 5:40 p.m. on 30 September to the 600-block of Country Club Drive for a boat crash, the coroner's office said.
Mertins was pronounced dead on the scene, and a McHenry man was transported by medical helicopter to Advocate Condell Medical Center, the Lake County Coroner's Office said. He died in the operating room, and was identified as Timothy Mertins, 62.
An autopsy performed Monday showed Mertins had also died from blunt force injuries as a result of the crash, the coroner's office said. Sgt. Eric Schreiber with the Department of Natural Resources said the crash caused minor damage to the house.
Two Rescued, Capsized Boat Towed from Mouth of Merrimack River
10/2/23 – Newburyport, MA
A 22-foot center console vessel that capsized at the mouth of the Merrimack River in Newburyport, Massachusetts, was towed back to Freedom Boat Club on the afternoon of 2 October by a TowBoat U.S. team.
Two mariners found holding on to the boat’s engine after being dumped in the violent waters near the north jetty were rescued by Newburyport Harbormaster staff and brought to an area hospital with minor injuries, according to Harbormaster Paul Hogg.
Hogg said the two men had taken their Cobia boat out during rough seas augmented by a high moon tide. Waves at the entrance to the Atlantic were more than 6 feet tall in some places and at one point the boat was struck by a wave that knocked it over.
Boaters not wearing PFDs, treated for injuries, hypothermia
Knowing the tides were high and the waters rough near the mouth, Hogg had deployed patrol boats 1 and 2 near the Captain’s Lady at Plum island Point. As it turned out, it was a wise decision. When the mayday came over the radio, the boats were on scene within minutes, Hogg said. The mariners were extracted from the water by Patrol 1 crewman Jalen Howard, who recently joined the city from Coast Guard Station Merrimack River.
Both men were not wearing life jackets or using floatation devices. Howard’s partner, licensed captain Mike Maillette, navigated seas in excess of 6 feet in close proximity to the capsized vessel and the north jetty while positioning the patrol boat so both exhausted victims could be pulled on board safely, the Harbormaster Department said in a statement.
Both boaters were brought to Freedom Boat Club where they had launched. An ambulance crew was waiting at the marina and drove them to an area hospital. One man suffered a rib injury while the other was feeling the effects of hypothermia, Hogg added.