Accidents of the Week - September 28, 2024

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.

After Fireworks Set Off, Luxury Yacht Catches Fire, Sinks

9/18/24 – Los Angeles, CA

A luxury yacht sank off the coast of Los Angeles, taking on water after a ton of fireworks blasted off from the deck.

In a scene straight out of the film "Battleship," firefighters responded to the Marina del Rey harbor on the night of 18 September to fight a blaze consuming a 120-foot-yacht. The fire squadrons gave it all they got, but with smoke billowing out from the ship, it proved to be a lost cause.

The origin of the fire was under investigation, but fireworks were launched off the ship and exploded just above moments before the fire broke out, suggesting that it was a magical moment gone wrong.

According to the authorities, there were also 1,000 rounds of ammunition on the boat, although they did not specify why or what kind. Authorities also said there were two people on board at the time. Both survived, with one sustaining minor injuries.

Unfortunately, despite firefighters’ efforts the yacht sank about two hours after the fire started.

Sick Boater Rescued in Cape Cod Rough Seas

9/19/24 – Bourne, MA

Emergency crews helped a sick boater back to shore amid rough seas off the coast of Sagamore Beach, on Massachusetts’ Cape Cod Bay, on the afternoon of 19 September.

A Cape Cod Canal Harbor Patrol vessel, alongside Bourne and Sandwich fire crews, responded to a distress call off the coast of Sagamore Beach around 4:16 p.m. Bourne fire officials said the boater onboard a 26-foot sailboat had called in the rescue, reporting that he felt sick among the four to five-foot swells.

The vessels were able to find the sailboat around 800 yards offshore and rescue the man. He was taken back to dry land and evaluated by members of the Sandwich Fire Department.

The sailboat broke free of its anchoring around 10 minutes after the rescue and drifted back to shore, Bourne fire officials said. A high seas warning/coastal flooding advisory was in effect at the time, officials added. No one was injured during the rescue operation.

Authorities Respond to Overturned PWC Accident

9/18/24 – Laredo, TX

The Laredo Fire Department (LFD), Texas Parks and Wildlife, and EMTs responded to a call of a man left stranded on Lake Casa Blanca in Laredo, Texas, after his personal watercraft (PWC) turned over.

The incident was reported around 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday 18 September, and was resolved around 30 minutes later. According to LFD, only one person was involved in the accident and seemed to have suffered no injuries. The driver had refused treatment after being saved and left the scene.

The authorities were able to retrieve the PWC after hauling it back with them following the rescue of the driver.

Rescue Crews Assist Boater Stuck in Louisiana Swamp

9/15/24 – Livingston Parish, LA

A boater who was stuck in a swamp near the Petite Amite River was rescued by deputies, state wildlife, and fisheries agents, said Sheriff Jason Ard of Livingston Parish, Louisiana.

Ard said that the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office Marine Division was out doing rescues with Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agents on 16 September when they came across an airboat and its operator.

Citations were issued by Wildlife and Fisheries agents and the waterway remained closed, Sheriff Ard said.

Boat Catches Fire on New York’s Oneida Lake

8/29/24 – Oneida Lake, NY

Several local fire departments were called to a boat fire on Oneida Lake, in upstate New York, around 5:45 p.m. on Thursday 29 August.

Sylvan Beach firefighters got to the beachfront and spotted the boat. Fire crews were able to go out and put out the fire before the 22-foot boat sank.

The boat’s occupants had escaped and were found in a nearby vessel. No one was injured during the fire, according to Sylvan Beach Fire Department. The boat was brought back to shore.

Boat Runs Aground on Boston Harbor Island

9/18/24 – Boston, MA

Police responded to a report that a boat had run aground on an island in Boston Harbor on 18 September.

A spokesperson with the Boston Police Department told local reporters that it was aware of the incident at Rainsford Island, while Massachusetts State Police said that everyone was accounted for.

Massachusetts Environmental Police later said 20 were on board, and no-one was seriously injured.

Coast Guard Rescues 3 After Vessel Sinks Off Honolulu

9/19/24 – Honolulu, HI

The Coast Guard successfully rescued three people from a sinking recreational vessel approximately nine nautical miles south of Honolulu Harbor on 19 September.

"We are grateful that we were able to get on scene quickly and safely recover the three individuals before the situation became more dire," said Cmdr. Kristin Hahn, the search and rescue mission coordinator.

Coast Guard Stresses Importance of Emergency Equipment

"This case highlights the importance of having the right emergency equipment aboard and the critical role of partnerships with local agencies like the Honolulu Fire Department.” At 10:37 a.m., Coast Guard Sector Honolulu watchstanders received a notification from Honolulu Fire Department personnel that the 25-foot recreational vessel, Ichiban, was taking on water with three people aboard.

Watchstanders immediately initiated response efforts. Crews aboard a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Barbers Point and a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew from Station Honolulu launched to the scene.

Upon arrival, the Dolphin crew deployed a rescue swimmer to assess the situation and the rate of flooding. The vessel was quickly sinking, and the rescue swimmer determined the safest course of action was to hoist all occupants from the vessel. The Dolphin crew safely hoisted all three individuals from the sinking vessel.

Shortly after, the Ichiban was completely submerged at a water depth of over 400 feet. Reportedly, only 80 gallons of diesel fuel and assorted hydraulic and lube oils were aboard the vessel. Due to the boat’s depth, responders did not anticipate any salvage efforts.

Firefighters Extinguish Boat Fire on New Jersey Lake

8/12/24 – Milford, NJ

An unoccupied pontoon boat with several vehicle batteries on board was found engulfed in flames on Pinecliff Lake in West Milford, New Jersey, on the night of 12 August, the West Milford Fire Department said.

A statement posted on Facebook by the Fire Department said West Milford Fire Companies 6 and 3 were dispatched to an address on Bearfort Road at about 8:56 p.m. after a boat fire was reported. Upon arrival, firefighters found a pontoon boat fully engulfed in flames. The statement said that as firefighters deployed a hose to the backyard of 247 Bearfort Road, the boat began to float away from the shore and could not be reached by fire personnel.

The West Milford Office of Emergency Management arrived and dispatched its boat to the Pinecliff Lake Beach boat dock. As first responders approached the boat, they found that it was not electric but had numerous vehicle batteries on board.

The boat was then towed back to shore, where firefighters extinguished the blaze. No injuries were reported, and the fire was under investigation by the West Milford Fire Marshal's Office and the State Police Marine Unit.