Accidents of the Week - September 13, 2025
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Recalled Vessel Involved in Deadly Crash
8/30/25 – Eustis, ME
A boat crash that killed three on Maine’s Flagstaff Lake had the hallmarks of other incidents involving a specific model of pontoon boat recalled this year due to safety issues.
The boat, a 2024 18-foot Sea-Doo Switch, was one of thousands recalled by Sea-Doo’s parent company Bombardier Recreational Products in February due to an increased risk of the boat nosediving into the water, causing it to flip end over end on its bow.
That matched the description of the 30 August crash in the western Maine town of Eustis, according to the Maine Warden Service. The agency was investigating an incident that killed three of the seven people on board, but said that the boat flipped despite the driver’s attempt to correct it. The weather conditions were calm that afternoon.
Killed in the crash were 53-year-old Farhana Nasir, 23-year-old Kiran Akbar and 22-year-old Noor Nasir, who were all from New York state. The boat was driven by John Morris, 50, of Eustis, who did not respond to calls and emails. It was unclear whether his boat had undergone the work associated with the recall.
Model Recalled After Florida Lawsuit
The notice for all Sea-Doo Switch models came shortly after a Florida law firm filed a lawsuit on behalf of a family whose young daughter was trapped underwater after their boat flipped in 2024. The 15-month-old suffered a catastrophic brain injury from oxygen deprivation, Judd Rosen, the family’s lawyer, said in an interview.
“This is one of the worst, most dangerous vessels I’ve ever seen,” Rosen said. “These pontoon boats become death traps.” Another Switch-flipping incident in Virginia in 2024 killed a 9-year-old. The Maine incident appeared to be the deadliest one involving these boats, Rosen said.
The company, Quebec-based Bombardier, said in a statement that the boats comply with all applicable standards and regulations. “We have been made aware of this tragic accident and would like to express our deepest sympathies to the families,” spokesperson Emilie Proulx said. “We take any incident involving our products very seriously and we are currently investigating this case.”
The company’s recall work included partially sealing the hulls and affixing two new warning stickers to the boat advising against overloading the front of the vessel. Since Rosen’s firm filed the lawsuit in February, he said his firm had heard from Switch owners and lawyers sharing similar stories of the boat flipping end over end.
Powerboat Erupts in Flames on Labor Day
9/1/25 – Tawas Bay, MI
Boaters and beachgoers at Lake Huron’s Tawas Bay witnessed a fiery spectacle when a powerboat erupted in flames this Labor Day. Fortunately, no one was injured in the waterlogged inferno.
The approximately 40-foot red-and-white boat started billowing smoke and fire about 3:30 p.m. on 1 September, while in the bay near East Tawas, Michigan.
Cathie Garner was on another boat with her husband and began recording the ordeal. Those who were aboard the burning boat abandoned ship. They were be picked up by fellow boaters, Garner said.
Firefighters from Tawas City and East Tawas responded to the scene. At least one firefighter rode a jet ski around the smoldering wreck, spraying it with lake water. The fire seemingly went out before briefly reigniting as it sank, Garner said.
Four Swim to Safety as Boat Sinks
9/6/25 – Prince George Co., VA
Four people swam safely to shore on 6 September after their boat began sinking in the James River in Prince George County, Virginia.
At 1:36 p.m. on Saturday 6 September, Prince George Fire and EMS, along with multiple partner agencies, responded to a report of a boat taking on water about one mile south of the Benjamin Harrison Bridge on the James River.
The four people aboard were able to swim to shore, and there were no reported injuries, fire officials said.
Drone Used to Locate Vessel, Boaters
According to a police spokesperson, a pontoon boat was near the Charles City side of the James River. Prince George County Fire & EMS, Prince George County Police, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Hopewell Fire/EMS and Chesterfield Fire & EMS also assisted in the response, according to Prince George Fire and EMS officials.
Hopewell Fire/EMS deployed a drone to help locate the sinking vessel and the four occupants. Fire officials said all four passengers were taken back to Jordan Point.
“This response demonstrated the strength of collaboration and teamwork across jurisdictions. The combined efforts of Fire/EMS, Police, and Wildlife officials ensured that all four individuals were located safely, turning what could have been a dangerous emergency into a positive outcome,” crews with Prince George Fire and EMS said.
Boater Hospitalized After Hitting Florida Seawall
9/5/25 – Midway, FL
A man was hurt after a vessel struck a seawall in Midway, Florida, on the night of 5 September, according to a post on the Midway Fire District Facebook page.
The Fire District reported that at approximately 8:02 PM, units were dispatched to respond to a boating accident after 911 callers advised that a vessel had struck a seawall.
Upon arrival, responders located the damaged boat and coordinated with a nearby family aboard their own vessel to assist the boat’s operator, an adult male who had sustained moderate injuries as a result of the collision. The patient was treated on scene and transported by Lifeguard EMS to a nearby hospital for further evaluation and treatment.
The Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission (FWC) was notified and launched an investigation into the cause of the accident.
Fishing Crew Helps 3 After 52-Foot Boat Catches Fire
9/3/25 – Boca Raton, FL
A commercial fishing crew happened to be in the right place, at the right time, after a vessel off the coast of South Florida erupted in flames.
The 52-foot sailboat ignited off the Boca Raton shore on the morning of 3 September. Dark smoke could be seen from miles away.
Commercial fisherman Paul Varian and his crew were the closest boat on the water when the fire broke out. He said it first looked like a small amount of diesel smoke, but within minutes, the entire cabin was covered in flames.
“When we got there, they had already gotten their dinghy in the water, and they were climbing into the dinghy, and one guy was trying to start it, but it wouldn’t start,” he said, “so the other two were paddling with their hands like that, trying to get the dinghy away from the boat on fire. They’re still getting all the smoke straight in their face.”
Fortunately, Varian said, he and his crew were able to throw the three men on board a rope and drag their dinghy away from the fire. All three of them survived.
Firefighters said the blaze may have started as an electric fire near the boat’s panel.
5 Evacuated After Boat Fire on Virginia Lake
9/6/25 – Bedford Co., VA
Five people were safely evacuated from a boat on Virginia’s Smith Mountain Lake after a fire, according to officials.
According to the Smith Mountain Lake Marine Fire Rescue (SMLMFR), crews were dispatched out to the lake on 6 September for the report of a vessel fire. First responders said five occupants on the boat were able to evacuate the vessel and get on board a fishing boat thanks to another boater.
When firefighters arrived at the scene, they found the original boat out in the open water with no visible signs of fire. "It was reported that the fire had been extinguished by the occupants using their onboard fire extinguisher before they evacuated the boat," SMLMFR said.
They towed the disabled boat to shore and said the vessel was ultimately released to a "Sea Tow." None of the five people on board at the time of the fire were reported, first responders said.
Family Dog Killed, Two Injured in Boat Explosion
9/6/25 – Macomb Co., MI
Two people sustained minor injuries and their dog died after a boat explosion on 6 September in Macomb County, Michigan.
According to the Macomb County Sheriff's Office, the Marine Division was called at about 12:35 p.m. to the Emerald City Harbor in St. Clair Shores. The sheriff's office said that video showed the boat was getting fuel at the gas dock when it exploded, throwing the people into the water.
The sheriff's office said the dog was taken to an emergency veterinary hospital and died from its injuries. "We pulled them out of the water and called the ambulance, and made sure the pumps were turned off," said a witness, who asked not to be identified.
Witness Calls Explosion ‘Horrifying’ Wake-Up Call
Responding deputies found large debris floating in the water, and the boat was nearly submerged and no longer on fire. The sheriff's office said environmental services were requested due to "large contaminates of fuel and oil into the water." Additionally, the fuel dock sustained damage in the explosion.
"This one here shook up the entire dock. I mean ... I'm sure everybody is now taking a look at their boats and they're doing what they should be doing anyway. But a wake-up call like this, it's just positively horrifying, it really was," said Bill Parilo, who has a boat at the Emerald City Harbor.
The sheriff's office did not believe foul play was involved. The investigation was ongoing.
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