No-Boating Zones Established on the Hudson River

The U.S. Coast Guard has established no-boating zones on the Hudson River due to construction on the Tappan Zee Bridge, where an accident that killed two people and injured three others occurred in July. However, the area where boats will no longer be allowed does not include the actual area where the accident occurred. On…

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University Student Pleads Guilty to Drunken Boating

A Colorado State University student has pleaded guilty to drunken boating after severely injuring a man at Horsetooth Reservoir last summer. The 22-year-old student took a plea agreement on October 8, had a vehicular assault charge dismissed and will be receiving probation. The student ran over another man on June 30 when he reversed the…

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Rough Waters: Life Rafts Saving Lives

Life rafts, and also life boats, are small, rigid or inflatable boats that are stored on ships for emergency evacuations. Commercial ships are required by law to store life rafts, while recreational sailors will often carry inflatable rafts, though some may have small lifeboats. For most commercial ships, life rafts are fitted with a quick-release…

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Ferry Captain on Leave After Sinking Sailboat

The captain and second mate of the Hyak ferry that sank a sailboat on the Salish Sea on September 13 are officially on leave as the investigation continues. Jack Gray was riding in his sailboat when the 382-foot Hyak ferry crashed into and sank his boat. Both Gray and his dog were stuck at sea…

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6-Year-Old Drowns in Carnival Cruise Ship Swimming Pool

6-Year-Old Drowns in Carnival Cruise Ship Swimming Pool A six-year-old boy drowned in a pool aboard a Carnival cruise ship, according to a statement released by Carnival Cruise Lines on October 14. The young boy drowned on October 13 in a midship pool aboard the Carnival Victory. His family and friends were near the pool…

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Survival Suits: What They’re For and How They Work

Survival suits, also known as immersion suits, are a special type of waterproof suit that protect fishermen and others at sea from hypothermia when immersed in cold water. Typically, someone at sea would wear these suits when abandoning a sinking or capsized vessel. The suits have built-in boots, a hood and gloves. Survival suits come…

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13-Year-Old Injured after Massachusetts Boating Accident

13-Year-Old Injured after Massachusetts Boating Accident A 13-year-old boy was critically injured on September 2 when he was struck by a boat while tubing with friends at the Hingham Yacht Club. The boy was riding a tube being pulled by a motorboat with two other teenage friends in a designated water skiing and tubing area…

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Body Found After Tennessee Boating Accident on J. Percy Priest Lake

Body Found After Tennessee Boating Accident on J. Percy Priest Lake A 39-year-old man’s body was found in J. Percy Priest Lake on September 2 in Tennessee, the day after a boating accident occurred near the Four Corners Marina. Harvie Butler was thrown from his boat when it collided with another boat, causing injuries to…

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One Dead After Massachusetts Boating Accident on Taunton River

A 47-year-old man died in May when the boat he was riding on slammed into a tree in the Taunton River in Massachusetts. Manuel Pinheiro suffered severe head injuries when the operator, Anthony Rose, of the boat collided with a tree. Rose pleaded not guilty to drunken boating homicide and negligent operation of a boat,…

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Hyak Ferry Sinks 27-Foot Sailboat on Salish Sea

A Hyak ferry collided with and sank a 27-foot sailboat on the Salish Sea outside of Washington state on September 13. According to authorities, heavy fog created limited visibility that may have caused the collision. A man in his mid-60s was on the sailboat at the time of the collision and was rescued by another…

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US Coast Guard Releases Top Ten List of Towing Vessel Inadequacies

The U.S. Coast Guard has made a handout describing the 10 most common problems with towing vessels it has found during investigations of uninspected vessels. The list was created as part of the Towing Vessel Bridging Program, a program designed to help owners and operators of these towing vessel correct issues and implement new safety…

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56-Year-Old Crabber Killed in Collision with Tug and Barge

56-Year-Old Crabber Killed in Collision with Tug and Barge A man died this summer when his crab boat collided with a tug and barge in Port Arthur, Texas. 56-year-old John Tran was the only victim of the accident when he collided with the tugboat Father Seelos. The tugboat was in a high-traffic section of the…

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