New England Fishing Boat F/V Mistress Sinks

The New England fishing community faces a tragedy with the start of the New Year with the sinking of the F/V MISTRESS which is based out of Point Judith Rhode Island and its owner is Hope Fisheries, Inc. At approximately 1:30 am on January 1, 2019, the captain of the F/V MISTRESS issued a mayday…

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Here’s Why Northeast Boaters Are Being Asked to Label and Secure Their Paddlecraft

The United States Coast Guard is asking Boston residents to carefully label their canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards with their names and phone numbers. This requirement comes after a huge increase of cases this summer that involved unmanned and floating paddlecraft that were adrift and seemingly abandoned. Why Do Boston Residents Need to Label and…

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How Did the United States Coast Guard Rescue 49 People From This Lost Yacht?

The Coast Guard recently discovered a yacht carrying 49 people on Lake Michigan without a properly functioning navigation system. The 56-foot motor boat named Serenity was found by the Coast Guard with the assistance of a passenger who was worried the operator had been driving disoriented in the heavy fog near the Chicago Harbor. This…

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What is the Zone of Danger Test?

In Sawyer Brothers, Inc. et al v. Island Transporter, et al, , a maritime passenger case, the First Circuit adopted the zone of danger test used by other courts for a negligent infliction of emotion distress claim. In this case, Sawyer Brothers, Inc. hired Island Transporter, LLC to ferry three of its construction vehicles and…

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Boater Loses His Life When He Collides With a Ferry

The Quebec River near Laval is often occupied by a 48-foot cable ferry that uses the current to navigate across the river. Last year, a pleasure craft caused a boating accident when it crashed into this ferry, and a young man lost his life and several other passengers sustained injuries. According to the report, there…

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Boat Operator in Fatal Hudson River Crash Admitted to Drinking, Officials Say

Boat Operator in Fatal Hudson River Crash Admitted to Drinking, Officials Say [ubermenu-map address=”Tappan Zee Bridge, New York” zoom=”14″ width=”375px” height=”375px”] A prosecutor said in court on November 20 that the man accused of causing a boat accident on the Hudson River in July, killing a bride-to-be and her fiancé’s best man, admitted to “drinking…

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Our Maritime Attorneys Help Victims of Drunken Boating Accidents

The case against a man charged with killing two boys in a June 2012 boating accident has been delegated to a jury. Paul Bennett, the boat operator at the time of the accident, is facing charges of homicide by vessel, failure to render aid, reckless operation and boating under the influence. On July 18, 2012,…

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Maritime Trial Lawyer: Boat Operator in Fatal Hudson River Accident Charged in 18-Count Indictment

The operator of a boat involved in a Hudson River accident that killed a bride-to-be and her fiancé’s best man in July was charged in an 18-count indictment on November 7. The driver, 35-year-old JoJo John, is facing counts of first-degree vehicular manslaughter (2), second-degree vehicular manslaughter (4), second-degree manslaughter (2), criminally negligent homicide (2),…

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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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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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Illinois Family Sues Waterway after 10-Year-Old Killed in Boating Wreck

A year after 10-year-old Tony Borcia was killed in a boating accident on Petite Lake, Illinois, his family is suing Fox Waterway Agency, claiming it failed to provide rules and regulations for safe boating. Borcia fell out of an inflatable tube in July of 2012 and was struck by another boat. The driver of the…

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Lake Lanier Tragedy Reminds Us of the Dangers of Drunk Boating

As illustrated by Monday’s post about a deadly drunk boating accident in Georgia, boating under the influence is extremely dangerous. In fact, according to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), alcohol was the leading factor in 16 percent of recreational boating deaths last year. The family and friends of 9-year-old Jake Prince and 13-year-old Griffin Prince…

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