Blogs

07-08-13 JEFFERSON COUNTY, TN 3 rescued when boat capsizes on Douglas Lake Three Dandridge residents were rescued Mon. night (07-08)  after their boat was swamped with water on Douglas Lake in Jefferson Co. TN Wildlife Resources Agency officials say Craig Manning, Craig Manning, Jr. and Kelly Phillips were fishing near Henderson Island Wildlife Refuge around 10:45 p.m. when the motor in their boat shorted out. The boat slowed down suddenly and water got into the boat, causing it to capsize. The rescue squad and TWRA rescued the 3 and retrieved their boat. Officials say the boaters were not wearing life preservers. They did not require any medical treatment. Read full story here.

07-04-13 LEWES, DE Lewes Fire Boat Crashes into Another Boat on July 4th The DE DNR and Environmental Control is investigating a boating accident involving the Lewes Fire Dept.’s fire and rescue boat on the night of Thur. (07-04). DNREC sources say the Lewes Fire Dept.'s million-dollar vessel collided with a boat not equipped with lights off Lewes Beach. Lewes fire officials said no one was hurt in the accident, but the dept.'s fire and rescue boat might have been damaged. DE State Police said they have assisted DNREC in its evaluation of the rescue boat by sending their scuba team to survey the hull. The investigation into the crash is ongoing. Lewes fire officials said the fire and rescue boat is operational and ready for use in the event of an emergency. Read full story here. 

07-07-13 SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY Teen Mauled by Boat Propellor in Mount Sinai Accident A teen boater was seriously injured by a propeller on Sun. evening (07-07) while fishing in the Long Island Sound near Mount Sinai, according to Suffolk Co. Police. Police said an 18-y/o boy seriously injured his arm after a strong wave caused him to lose grip on the wheel, carrying him overboard and into the boat's propeller at roughly 6:15 p.m. Sun. Another teen pulled the injured back onboard the 17-ft. Grady White and managed to steer the boat back to Mount Sinai Harbor, where he called for help. The teen boater was taken to Stony Brook University Hosp.for treatment. Police have not released the name of the injured 18-y.o. Read full story here. 

07-09-13 HARVARD, IL Boy dies after canoe tips in Harvard retention pond A 12-y/o boy died after a canoe capsized in a NW suburban retention pond Mon. evening (07-08). Two teenagers were rescued from the Harvard pond after the boat tipped, but the 12-y/o was located by a dive team and pronounced dead shortly after. About 7:30 p.m., officials from the Harvard Community Fire Protection District rushed to the pond in the 800 block of Apple Valley Road after learning that a canoe had capsized. Read full story here. 

07-09-13 CROOKSVILLE, OH 4 Boys Rescued From Creek After Falling From Canoe Four boys were rescued from a creek in Perry Co.after they fell out of a canoe Tue. afternoon (07-09). The incident occurred near the Main Street Bridge in Crooksville at about 4:30 p.m. A caller reported having seen 4 children fall out of a canoe, and called the fire dept. The Crooksville Fire Dept. searched the Moxahala Creek that runs through downtown, looking for the boys. One person was found north of the bridge, but rescuers had trouble because the boy would not let go of the canoe. Emergency crews were able to pull the boy to safety. The other 3 boys somehow ended up safe on the train tracks that run along the side of the creek. The boys were being checked by medics, but they were all described as doing fine. Read full story here. 

07-07-13 ONIEDA LAKE, NY Boater rescued after canoe capsized on Oneida Lake A Sylvan Beach man was rescued Sun. (07-07) after his canoe capsized on Oneida Lake. The Oneida Co. Sheriff’s Office reports that at 2:03 p.m, Richard J. Smith, 54, of Sylvan Beach, was operating a 14-ft-long 2007 Johnson canoe with a trolling motor attached, west on Oneida Lake just E of Buoy 104, when his vessel was overcome by 2 rogue waves and capsized. The Oneida Co.  Sheriff's Office Marine Patrol Unit was in the vicinity and witnessed the accident. The Sheriff’s Office Marine-1 and Marine-2 arrived on scene to assist Smith, who was visibly exhausted, with pumping water out of his vessel and gave Smith a flotation device to wear while he was being rescued. Smith was eventually brought onboard Marine-1, and he and his canoe were transported to Sylvan Beach Fire Dept. for medical evaluation and treatment. Smith reported exhaustion and received cuts to his right leg. Vineall Ambulance transported Smith to Oneida Healthcare for further medical treatment. A Good Samaritan boater who was passing by in a kayak, Robert L. Bennett, 58, of Oneida, assisted with the rescue of Smith. Read full story here. 

07-09-13 PULASKI COUNTY, IN LaPorte Co. man rescued from kayaking incident on river Conservation officers and Tippecanoe River State Park employees saved the life of a 65-y/o LaPorte County man Tue. (07-09) following a kayaking accident. According to the IN DNR, the man and his wife were kayaking on the Tippecanoe River near the state park in Pulaski Co.  when his kayak hit an underwater obstruction and flipped over. The man was thrown into the river and held onto a nearby snag until help arrived. According to the DNR, state park visitors heard the man's cries for help and contacted park personnel. IN Conservation Officer Jeff Richwine responded in his patrol boat along with Mike Manion of the Tippecanoe River State Park. Richwine and Manion worked together to rescue the man from the river. He was not injured in the incident. Richwine, an IN River Rescue instructor, said the man had a life jacket but he could not access it in the kayak. The rescue could have been avoided if the man was wearing his life jacket. Read full story here. 

07-07-13 PASSIAC RIVER, NJ Man, 4-year-old granddaughter rescued from rushing Passaic River after kayak capsizes Thanks to the heroic efforts of a township police officer and firefighter, a man and his 4-y/o granddaughter whose kayak capsized were saved from the rushing waters of the Passaic River as his daughter watched from the riverbank. At about 2:45 p.m. Sun (07-07), Sgt. Glen Amerman of the Bernards Township Police was called to the Passaic River between Haas Road and South Maple Avenue on the report of 3 stranded kayakers, according to Chief Brian Bobowicz of the Bernards Township Police. John Schulenburg of Basking Ridge and his 4-y/o granddaughter were trapped in the rushing waters following the flipping of their kayak. Schulenburg's daughter, Molly Schulenburg, also of Basking Ridge, had managed to make it to the riverbank in her own kayak. Sgt. Amerman and Liberty Corner Asst. Fire Chief Pete Aprahamian risked their own safety to wade out to the victim and bring them to shore. Amerman said that while on his way to the scene, he contacted the Co. to make sure that the fire dept. and a water rescue unit were on their way, and also arranged for other officers from Bernards to head to the South Maple overpass on the Long Hill border in case the victims were being whisked down the river. Amerman pulled into a Pond Hill Road residential driveway and headed down the steep embankment toward the river. The river was very swollen due to the storms over the last 48 hours. There were multiple large trees down across the river making channels of swift moving water that had made crossing the river extremely difficult. Schulenburg, who was not wearing a life vest, was trapped in the middle of the river holding onto his 4-y/o granddaughter, who was wearing a life vest. Schulenburg's kayak was caught in a tree. There were more trees and brush further down the river that they could have gotten stuck under. Amerman quickly took off the heavy parts of his uniform and walked into the river, leaving his weapon with officers onshore. Pete Aprahamian entered the water to assist. Pete and Amerman were able to tie a rope to the second kayak and I pushed the kayak to John. John put his granddaughter in the kayak and I pulled it back.  Amerman and Aprahamian took the 4-y/o out of the kayak and handed her off the other rescue personnel, then sent the kayak back to John so he would have a flotation device to hold onto in case the fast-moving waters sent him further downriver. Schulenburg held onto the kayak as Amerman lowered him down the river to an island closer to the riverbank, at which point he was able to make it to shore,. All the victims were checked out by Liberty Corner First Aid Squad with no injuries. Liberty Corner Fire Dept., Somerset Med. Center Mobile Intensive care unit and the Bedminster-Far Hills Swift Water Rescue Team also assisted. Read full story here. 

07-10-13 SIMONTON LAKE, IN DNR releases more information in Simonton Lake watercraft accident Two individuals were injured on Simonton Lake around 8:50 pm Wed. (07-10)  when the personal watercrafts they were operating collided. The PWC’s were being operated in a circular motion jumping the wake of each other when they collided head on. 25-y/o Anthony Simons, Osceola Indiana, was operating his PWC when he and his passenger, Adam Wisniewski, collided with Aaron Wisniewski. Anthony Simons was not injured. 27-y.o Adam Wisniewski, Mullen Nebraska, sustained only minor injuries and was treated and released by Elkhart General Hosp. 24 –y/o Aaron Wisniewski, Lincoln Nebraska, sustained serious injuries. He was airlifted to Methodist Hosp. in Indianapolis to be treated for serious injuries. IN Conservation Officers are continuing to investigate the incident and remind boaters to operate in a safe and prudent manner at all times. Criminal charges are pending.  The DNR is still investigating the accident but says it doesn't appear alcohol was a factor. Read full story here.  

07-09-13 DEAL ISLAND, MD Four Boaters Rescued 8 Hours After Boat Partially Sinks wboc.com (07-11-13) Members from the Mt. Vernon Volunteer Fire Dept. rescued 4 people after a boat overturned Tue. night (07-09) near the mouth of the Wicomico River. MD State Police said John Riggs, of Salisbury, was boating with 4 others when his 16-ft. Carolina Skiff started getting swamped by waves during a storm off the Coast of Deal Island. The boaters put on life jackets when the vessel started taking on water around 7 p.m. The boat partially sank then rolled over, tossing the occupants into the water. The boaters held onto the vessel for 30 min. until John Riggs decided to swim for help. Police said he reached the shore around 1 a.m. A water search began with members from MD Natural Resources, state police and fire depts. from Deal Island and Mt. Vernon assisting. The MSP Aviation Unit was the first to locate the overturned vessel near the mouth of the Wicomico River around 3 a.m. Troopers directed the responding boats to their location, and the Mt. Vernon Volunteer Fire Dept. rescue boat located the boaters. The boaters were then taken to the Deal Island Harbor, where they were treated by Princess Anne Emergency Services. They were all treated and released. The rescued boaters were identified as John Riggs of Salisbury, John F. Riggs of Rock Hall, Contessa Riggs along with 2young children. Natural Resources Police said life jackets and a quick response by first responders were responsible for the safe rescue of all of the victims in the incident.http://www.wboc.com/story/22811148/four-boaters-rescued-8-hours-after-boat-partially-sinks 

07-07-13 LEE COUNTY, FL Woman dead after boating accident A woman is dead after a boating accident on the Caloosahatchee River. It happened just before 2 p.m.  Sun. (07-07) near the Marina off Highway 31. According to Gary Morse with FL Fish and Wildlife Conservation Comm., a boat carrying 3people was traveling east on the Caloosahatchee River. They had an inner tube attached to a rope, which was used for towing people, stored inside the boat. "It blew out and the line that attached the inner tube to the boat wrapped around a young lady's neck and pulled her out of the vessel," Morse said. "She died as a result of those injuries." The victim has been identified as 23-y/o Maleah Nowak of Cape Coral. Read full story here.