Law enforcement and the USCG spent Sun. (04-07) searching for a missing father and daughter in the Sandusky Bay. Jonathan Francis, 30, of Sandusky, and his daughter Viola, 12, were reported missing at 5:20 a.m. Sun. The Erie Co. Sheriff's Office and Margaretta Township FD scanned the shoreline, and the CG in Detroit sent out a helicopter to aid in the search. By 7 p.m. Sun., all searches were called off. The pair was last seen around 5 p.m. Sat. (04-06), kayaking near Crystal Rock. They planned to paddle to the Edison Bridge and back. Reportedly, neither kayaker was wearing a lifejacket. They have not been seen since Sat. evening. Francis's girlfriend reported the pair as missing on Sun. According to the Ottawa Co. Sheriff's Office, both of the kayaks were found near S.Lightner road in Ottawa Co., but they were empty. One kayak was flipped upside down, the other was partially submerged in water, leading officials to believe the boats washed ashore. Authorities say the water was around 39 degrees at the time.
04-11-13 SOCASTEE, SC Horry County crews respond to Myrtle Beach area for marina boat fire Police and firefighters responded to a boat fire Thur. (04-11) after an explosion was reported at the Hague Marina on the ICW, where 4 other boats have burned in recent months. The blaze in the Socastee was reported about 1:15 p.m. Thursday and involved one boat that was in dry storage and on fire, said Leslie Yancey, Horry Co. Fire Rescue spokeswoman. No injuries were reported and no other boats damaged. Emergency crews reported the boat had exploded, so the Horry Co. bomb squad and agents with the State Law Enforcement Division’s bomb squad were called, said Horry Co. police Sgt. Robert Kegler. Some SLED agents arrived via helicopter and car Thur. afternoon. An investigation is ongoing.Read full story here.
04-10-13 MOREHEAD CITY, NC Boat crashes into railroad bridge A sailboat was extensively damaged when it struck the Newport River railroad trestle at the state port early Wed. morning (04-10). Ralph McBrayer of Belhaven was sailing into Morehead City from a trip to the Bahamas when at about 3 a.m. his 45-ft. Bristol sailing vessel, Pelagic, struck the bascule bridge, which was in the lowered position due to ongoing repairs. Mr. McBrayer said there were no lights marking the lowered span. But N.C. Dept. of Transportation engineer Brad McMannen said late Wed. lights were on, according to an investigation of the accident. "Lights are working and they were working properly at the time of the accident. The CG came out and investigated and they said the lights were working too," Mr.McMannen said. He said there doesn't appear to be any damage to the bridge structure. Mr. McBrayer said the impact brought down his 60-ft. mast that runs through to the cabin at the deck plate, smashing rigging and bringing down furling. The mast missed striking his head by mere inches, he said. His sailing partner, whom he did not name, also missed having his head hit the bridge by inches. “It was pitch black, we couldn’t see anything and my partner could have gone overboard. The bridge was only 8 ft. above the water,” Mr. McBrayer said. He said although personnel working at the bridge were apologetic, that was of little comfort. “My boat is destroyed and we could have died,” Mr. McBrayer said. No estimates for damages to the boat or the bridge were available at presstime. The vessel was at Russell Yachts this morning.Read full story here.
04-09-13 ATLANTIC CITY, NJ Coast Guard Rescues 4 Aboard Disabled Sailboat Near Atlantic City The USCG came to the aid of 4 people whose sailboat became disabled in waters off southern New Jersey. Boaters aboard the 30-ft. sailboat contacted the CG early Tue. (04-09) and reported they were taking on water about 5 mi. NE of Atlantic City. A 25-ft. response boat crew from CG Station Atlantic City and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Atlantic City responded to the scene around 4 a.m. Responders determined that the sailboat had apparently run aground and had no rudder or engine power. It wasn’t taking on water, but had about 8 in. of water in the bilge due to the waves breaking along the hull. The 4 people in the sailboat were not injured. Read full story here.
04-10-13 JUNEAU, AK Coast Guard locates Alaska man overdue on sailboat The USCG has located a 57-y/o Haines, Alaska, man who had been reported overdue on a sailboat voyage to Juneau. Petty Officer 3rd Class Jonathan Klingenberg says a CG cutter found Tony Pearce on Wed. evening (04-10), taking shelter in William Henry Bay NW of Juneau. Both Pearce and his boat were in good condition and well-stocked with food, water and emergency supplies. The CG said he planned to wait out bad weather and continue his voyage on Thur. (04-11). The agency says Pearce left Haines on Sun. (04-07) on his 25-ft. sailboat, the Darshan. He was due in Juneau on Mon. (04-08) and had planned to attend the Juneau Folk Festival. The CG says weather in the area late Wed. included 39 mph winds, 2-4-foot seas and heavy snow showers. Read full story here.
04-07-13 AUBURN, WA Woman identified who fell out of kayak A woman who fell out of her kayak Sun. (04-07) on the Green River and later died has been identified by the King Co. Medical Examiner’s Office. Elizabeth Gould, 45, fell out of her kayak about 1:30 p.m. near Black Diamond and was taken to an Auburn hosp. She died Mon. (04-08). The cause of death was drowning. Deputies said she had some experience kayaking rivers and was wearing a helmet and a lifejacket.Read full story here.
04-05-13 MONROE COUNTY, IN Kayaker Dies At Lake Monroe Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating the death of a kayaker that occurred Fri. (04-05) in Saddle Creek Bay on Monroe Reservoir. At approximately 1:48 p.m., Indiana Conservation Officers were dispatched to respond to a near drowning that had just occurred. Preliminary investigation by ICO Angela Goldman and Probationary Officer Travis Campbell revealed that70-y/o David Kortenhoeven, of Schererville, for unknown reasons lost consciousness while sitting in his kayak and rolled into the water. A fellow kayaker and nearby hiker were able to immediately pull Kortenhoeven from the water and administered CPR until EMS arrived. It is unknown if Kortenhoeven was wearing a lifejacket. First responders had to utilize boats to reach Kortenhoeven due to the remote location of the incident. Upon arrival, EMS's attempts to revive Kortenhoeven were unsuccessful. Kortenhoeven was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:03 p.m.
Officers were assisted by Indiana Univ. Health EMS and Perry-Clear Creek FD. An exact cause of death is pending an autopsy by the Monroe Co. Coroner's Office.Read full story here.
04-09-13 CHAIN O’ LAKES, IL Man pleads guilty to DUI in boat crash that killed boy, 10 As the victim's mother cried softly in the courtroom, a Bartlett man pleaded guilty Tue. (04-09) to aggravated DUI in a boating accident that killed a Libertyville boy last summer on the Chain O' Lakes. Authorities said David Hatyina, 51, had cocaine in his system and was over the legal alcohol limit when his speedboat struck and killed Tony Borcia, a fifth-grader, on July 28.Read full story here.