Accidents of the Week - September 9, 2023
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Coast Guard Rescues 4 People, Dog from Sinking Boat
8/27/23 – Barnegat, NJ
The Coast Guard rescued four people and a dog from a boat taking on water on 27 August, near the Forked River in New Jersey’s Barnegat Bay.
A 29-foot Response Boat – Small crew from Coast Guard Station Barnegat Light, in New Jersey, discovered the sinking 30-foot recreational boat while already underway for operations. The Coast Guard crew transferred the four people and their dog aboard the Coast Guard rescue boat. The recreational boat capsized moments after completing the personnel transfer.
“The boat’s owner believes the boat was taking on water due to a loose plug, but the compartment was not accessible to confirm,” said Chief Warrant Officer James B. Corbisiero, Coast Guard Station Barnegat Light’s commanding officer.
“The timing of this rescue was fortunate; I commend the Coast Guard boat crew’s attentiveness and fast actions to aide these people and their dog.” The Coast Guard crew took the rescued people and dog into a marina in Lanoka Harbor, New Jersey.
A commercial salvage company righted the boat and towed it into the same marina. There were no reported injuries.
Body of Missing Boater Identified After Beached Vessel Found
8/26/23 – Chambers Co., TX
The body of a missing boater was found on 26 August by Chambers County deputies near Kemah, Texas.
Deputies received a call about a dead body about 1.5 miles east of Kemah. At the time, the sheriff's office criminal investigative division was unable to identify the body.
Later that day, the sheriff's office was notified of a missing boater report from the U.S. Coast Guard. Then, a second 911 call came in about a beached vessel in Trinity Bay just off the shore of Beach City, according to the sheriff's office. Detectives identified the owner of the vessel, Matthew Russell Sr., who had been recovered earlier in the day.
"This is another dark reminder of the necessities of wearing a personal flotation device. Our prayers are with the family of Mr. Russell in this difficult time," said Sheriff Brian Hawthorne.
No Injuries Reported After Boat Fire at Marina
8/29/23 – Seabrook, TX
No one was injured after a boat caught on fire at the marina of the Lakewood Yacht Club in southeast Harris County, Texas, on the morning of 29 August. The Seabrook Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene near the 2500 block of East NASA Parkway.
Firefighters were able to remove the boat from the marina and moved it into the lake nearby to prevent other boats from catching on fire. Video of the blaze showed large bright flames shooting into the sky along with black smoke.
The boat had significant damage and became a black color. First responders were on a different boat next to the damaged vessel trying to extinguish the fire.
Woman Drowns After Kayak Tips Over in Montana Lake
8/27/23 – Jefferson Co., MT
Abigail Richards, 20, of Butte, Montana, drowned on the night of 27 August in a kayak accident at Delmoe Lake.
According to Jefferson County Sheriff Tom Grimsrud, the woman, along with a man and their dog, were on the lake when their kayak, which was made for only one person, tipped over. The man and dog made it to shore.
Night had already fallen when members of Butte’s Life Flight located the woman, who was still on the surface of the water.
Woman Hospitalized After PWC Crash on San Diego Bay
8/28/23 – San Diego, CA
A woman was seriously injured in a personal watercraft (PWC) crash on San Diego Bay near the 24th Street Marine Terminal in National City, San Diego, on the evening of 28 August. The 29-year-old woman was reported injured at about 6:20 p.m.
San Diego Harbor Police said she was the passenger on a jet ski that crashed into the rocks near the south end of the port terminal. Before paramedics arrived, witnesses provided aid to the injured woman.
Paramedics transported her to UC San Diego Medical Center with serious injuries. The woman's condition was not known but Harbor Police Sgt. T.D. De La Pena described her as stable. She was not identified.
The driver of the watercraft, who was also not identified, was released at the scene. Details about what led to the crash, including whether alcohol or drugs were considered factors, were not disclosed.
Coast Guard Rescues 2 From Capsized Boat
8/27/23 – Harrison Co., MS
The U.S. Coast Guard rescued two people from a capsized boat near Cat Island, Mississippi, on the night of 27 August.
A 31-year-old man and a 10-year-old girl were reported safe after being pulled from the water about three miles southwest of the island. The Coast Guard shared a couple of photos of the rescue, saying they had received a report of a capsized boat with two people on top of it at around 6:46 p.m.
A flight crew was the first to spot the sinking vessel; boat crews arrived shortly after. No injuries were reported. The incident that had caused the vessel to capsize was unknown.
Several Members of Family Hospitalized After Boat Crash
8/24/23 – Halls Crossing, UT
A Utah family involved in a boating accident in Lake Powell said they were thankful everyone had made it out alive, even though they know the road to recovery was going to be long.
GPS believed to be ‘off by a few hundred feet’
Brent Limb, who works on houseboats on Utah’s Lake Powell, had just finished a job on 24 August when he and his family left Halls Crossing to head home. As they were making their way out, they were following GPS, which they now believe was off by a few hundred feet.
Just minutes out on the lake, they hit a peninsula. Brent’s brother went through the boat’s windshield. He suffered major cuts to his head. Brent was crushed by the impact and the crashing tools on top of him. He now has six broken ribs, a dislocated sternum, and a collapsed lung.
His wife, Nora, took the brunt of the crash with a broken neck, and back and a large gash to her head. The couple’s son, Elijah suffered a concussion, and their 18-year-old daughter was mostly unhurt. As Brent described the events that night, he was short of breath. But he was grateful that everyone had made it out alive.
Boat Catches Fire at Colorado Reservoir
8/21/23 – Littleton, CO
Two people avoided injuries when the boat they were on caught fire at Colorado’s Chatfield Reservoir on 21 August. South Metro Fire Rescue (SMFR) said they were called to the fire around 3:45 p.m.
The two people onboard the boat jumped into the water and were not injured, firefighters said. High winds pushed the boat closer to the shore, but the fire was contained to the boat, firefighters added.
According to SMFR sources, Colorado Parks and Wildlife launched an investigation into the cause of the fire.
Docked Boat Catches Fire in Key Largo
8/21/23 – Key Largo, FL
Firefighters rushed to Key Largo’s Manatee Bay Club to witness a 60-foot boat engulfed in flames in the early hours of 21 August.
A call came in at 12:40 a.m. of a docked vessel on fire at the club, located at 100 Morris Ave. The Key Largo Fire Department said crews worked quickly to bring the fire under control and extinguish the flames.
Due to the intense heat, multiple vessels located next to the burning boat sustained damage, but according to the Key Largo Fire Department and Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, no injuries occurred from the incident.
The cause of the fire was under investigation by the state fire marshal.