Accidents of the Week - September 6, 2025
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USCG Rescues 4 from Lake Michigan Breakwall
8/24/25 – Frankfort, MI
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) rescued four people from a breakwall near Frankfort, Michigan, on the night of 24 August.
The emergency call involved three adults and one teen who were on the breakwall near the Frankfort North Pier Lighthouse at night. Frankfort is in Northern Michigan, along the Lake Michigan shoreline.
Hazardous weather had left the four stranded, according to Coast Guard reports on the situation, and 30-foot sea sprays were too strong for a marine rescue. So the Coast Guard's Air Station Traverse City responded.
With the helicopter hovering less than 10 feet above the spire of the lighthouse, the crews were able to hoisted the four off the breakwater. The helicopter took the four to Frankfort Airport, where EMS was waiting.
Massive Yacht Fire Erupts at South Carolina Marina
8/30/25 – Little River, SC
A yacht was destroyed after it burst into flames in the Myrtle Beach area over the weekend of 30 to 31 August.
The boat caught fire at Coquina Harbour in Little River, South Carolina -- about 30 minutes from Myrtle Beach -- on Saturday, 30 August. Horry County firefighters were called to the blaze and found the yacht engulfed in flames.
Additional resources were called in to help put the fire out. The first report of fire came around 4 a.m., and it was not until 6 a.m. that firefighters said they had it under control.
Firefighters shared a video of the blaze that showed the vessel up in flames, with large smoke clouds billowing up. The fire was so large that it clearly lit up the dark morning harbor.
The fire reportedly caused heavy damage to the yacht, minor damage to another boat, but did not damage the dock. Officials said one person was evaluated for minor injuries but did not have to go to the hospital. Horry County firefighters did not reveal the causes of the massive fire.
A nearby fire department and the U.S. Coast Guard were also involved in the firefighting efforts.
Group Found on Overturned Boat 7 Miles Off Miami Beach
8/31/25 – Miami, FL
Video footage showed the rescue of a group found sitting on top of an overturned boat off Miami Beach, on the afternoon of 31 August.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR) officials said they had been called to assist the U.S. Coast Guard in searching for a boat in distress about 7 miles off the 10800 block of Collins Avenue.
The 25-foot boat was found capsized and taking on water as the four people were sitting on top of it. Video showed crews arriving to help the boaters get off the vessel.
All four were rescued and there were no injuries.
Boats Collide on New York's East River, Several Injured
8/31/25 – New York, NY
The New York City Police Department (NYPD) was investigating a crash involving two boats on the East River that injured at least five people. The collision happened at around 2 p.m. on 31 August near New York City’s FDR Drive.
Officials said a party boat identified as the Cabana was one the two vessels involved. Its manager told local reporters that roughly 300 people were on board when it collided with a private boat identified by the U.S. Coast Guard as the Let's Live II. The manager of the Cabana said the impact broke a window and shattered part of another window.
Boat on Autopilot at Time of Crash
According to the NYPD, Let's Live II was going east on the river when it collided with the party boat, before fleeing the scene heading south. The U.S. Coast Guard said it was in contact with the owner of the private vessel, adding the owner admitted the boat was operating on autopilot at the time of the crash.
Officials said three people on the Cabana were taken to the hospital, and two people on the Let's Live II sustained minor injuries. No arrests were made at the time and the cause of the crash remained under investigation. All injuries were said to be minor.
Boat Engulfed by Flames on Allegheny River
9/1/25 – Harmarville, PA
One person was taken to the hospital after a large boat caught fire along the Allegheny River in Harmar Township, Pennsylvania, on 1 September. Video taken by bystanders showed the boat completely engulfed in flames and thick black smoke.
The boat caught fire on the water near the Allegheny River Turnpike Bridge, with Allegheny County dispatch telling local reporters that one person was taken to the hospital from the scene. The extent of their injuries remained unknown at the time.
After Spotting Smoke, Rescuer ‘Jumped in a Little Boat’
Following the incident, local reporters spoke with Justin Hadricky, who rescued those who were on the boat at the time of the fire. "We were just on the back porch and all of a sudden, we saw this plume of black smoke and I just ran down, jumped in a little boat and went to see what was going on," Hadricky said.
He said three people had swam to a small island away from the boat when he picked them up and brought them to the nearby landing dock for medical attention. He said it appeared one person had sustained burn wounds to their leg.
Officials with the county said the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission was on the scene and handling the investigation.
USCG Suspends Search for Two Off Oregon Coast
8/31/25 – Seattle, WA
The Coast Guard suspended the search for two men who went missing after the motorized catamaran they were on capsized near Gold Beach, Oregon, on the night of 31 August.
A third person who was on the catamaran was rescued and transported by a good Samaritan to Gold Beach for medical evaluation by local EMS. It was reported that the three individuals donned life jackets prior to the vessel capsizing.
At approximately 9:00 p.m., watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Columbia River received a report from Curry County 911 of an overturned 26-foot catamaran approximately 4 miles off the coast of Gold Beach. Boat crews aboard a 47-foot motor lifeboat and 29-foot response boat small from Station Chetco River, as well as a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station North Bend, were dispatched to search for the missing men.
A two-person jet ski team from Gold Beach Water Safety also assisted in the search. Coast Guard Air Station Humboldt Bay, California, was called to assist and arrived on scene at approximately 4:00 a.m.
The MH-65 from Air Station North Bend conducted a first light search on the morning of 1 September, but unfortunately was unable to locate the missing men.
Boater Missing After Sailboat Hits Causeway Bridge
8/31/25 - St Tammany Parish, LA
The search for a missing boater in Louisiana’s Lake Pontchartrain stretched into another day after a sailboat struck the Causeway Bridge early morning on 31 August.
The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office said a man and woman were on the sailboat near mile marker 14 when it hit the bridge. Both went into the water. The woman was rescued, but the man had not been found.
Deputies said the search stopped at dark on 31 August but resumed at sunrise the following day, with Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) agents leading the effort, assisted by the U.S. Coast Guard and sheriff’s deputies. The United Cajun Navy also joined the mission.
“We started yesterday. We had two sea planes out of Belle Chasse up in the air, and we’ve been coordinating with the Coast Guard on our missions,” said Todd Terrell with the United Cajun Navy.
Cajun Navy Highlights Importance of Air Support
Terrell said rough conditions made it hard to see beyond about 50 yards on the water. “When you’re in a boat, it’s hard to see much all around you. That’s why the air is so important. If they spot something from a plane, we can get the boats immediately there to make the recovery,” he said.
Local boaters told local reporters that conditions on the lake on 1 September were dangerous. “Those waves have been intense all day today and yesterday,” one boater said. “It’s sad, especially being a holiday weekend. You want to be more safe than sorry, especially with kids and family out here,” added Valarie Lucci.
According to the female passenger, the sailboat struck the bridge, throwing the missing man into the water. She immediately called 911 and the U.S. Coast Guard rescued her. LDWF said the missing man was not wearing a personal flotation device at the time of the crash.
Kayaker Airlifted to Hospital After Capsizing in Frigid Waters
9/1/25 – Russell Co., KY
A person was airlifted to hospital after their kayak capsized in frigid waters near Kentucky’s Wolf Creek Dam on the morning of 1 September, Russell County Search and Rescue reported.
According to officials, fortunately the person was wearing a personal flotation device and was pulled from the water by a nearby boater.
The person had ingested a life-threatening amount of water and was in critical condition, officials said. Therefore, emergency crews coordinated an airlift so they could receive advanced medical care.
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